Desperate Measures
by Shiemi
Summary: COMPLETE! Motoko decides to get Yuki at all costs before she graduates. Yuki x Tohru as pairing. Written before Akito's gender was revealed in the manga. This was my first fic.
1. Default Chapter

One shot fic.   
  
1. Fruits Basket belongs to Takaya Natsuki. 2. I haven't read all of the manga, but seen the whole anime series. 3. This is my first fic. 4. English IS NOT my first language. Sorry if there are some mistakes and also for my limited vocabulary. You can help me with that aspect. Thanxxx and pls. review.   
  
Desperate measures (one shot fic)   
  
"I won't lose!" Motoko said full of joy. "What do you mean kaichou!" Mio asked. Minagawa Motoko had been smiling all day. "I will graduate soon. That means desperate measures!" "What are you talking about Motoko senpai!?" Minami was really confused and Motoko just kept smiling to herself. "I have to go now girls! See you tomorrow!" And Motoko left them standing without explaining herself.   
  
Aida Rika had been waiting for Motoko. She trained Motoko in the 'art' of opening locks, but was curious about why Motoko was so desperate about learning. "Oi, Motoko! Why did you want to learn so bad? Planning on breaking somewhere? You know I can help you." Motoko looked suspiciously at Rika. "No Rika-san. This is something in which I won't be involving any of you." Rika looked worried. "I hope you are not doing something really stupid." Motoko reassured her. "Don't worry about it Rika-san! See you tomorrow!"   
  
Minagawa Motoko went to the school's computer lab. Someone was expecting her there, someone she hadn't been introduced to. She had only heard of him and his hacking abilities. His name was Kawanami Taka. She had talked to him on the phone and arranged their meeting. "Right on time!" said Taka. "I already hacked into the school's files." He pointed towards the monitor. "Here you have it. The students' addresses, although I have no idea why you want that." "It's none of your business!" Blurted Motoko nervously and then softened. "I mean... It's a private issue Taka... kun." The boy smiled at her and stood up so that she could get the address she desperately wanted. She found the name she was looking for very quickly. She had that name engraved in her heart: Sohma Yuki. She didn't even bothered to write down the address. She memorized it. Whatever was related to Yuki she had to know by heart. She was already walking out of the computer lab when she suddenly decided to ask Taka a question. "Taka-kun, how is it that you are alone in here?" Taka smiled again. "I have the key. I tutor students in the use of computers, but don't worry. No one knows why you came and what you wanted. Also I cannot tell because that would mean saying that I hacked into the school files." Motoko was feeling better already and left. She had a plan and she thought that plan would lead her to fulfill her deepest desire: getting Yuki.   
  
It was 11:45 PM. Minagawa Motoko was completely dressed in black looking like some crappy movie ninja. She had been waiting for all the lights to go out and that had happened 15 minutes ago, but she still had to wait a little longer. The orange top that called himself Yuki's cousin was still on the roof. Five more minutes passed and the orange haired boy entered the house through a window. Motoko relaxed and waited five minutes more, then ran silently towards the entrance mentally saying a mantra to herself: 'Bedrooms are always on the second floor, bedrooms are always on the second floor,...' She opened the front door and was surprised at how easily it actually opened. Her only fear was if there was a chain lock, but there was none. She immediately turned on her mini flashlight and removed her shoes. She had to be very careful and above all, extremely quiet. Motoko was almost trembling going up the stairs. She went towards one of the doors to her right and opened it, almost gasping. Fate had to be on her side. It was the prince's room. It couldn't be luck. It had to be fate. This was fated to happen. It was her destiny.   
  
She turned off the flashlight and waited until her eyes adapted to the darkness. The moonlight made Yuki's beautiful face look like an angel's. Motoko's legs trembled. She felt that Yuki was a forbidden angel. She suddenly couldn't get any closer, but regained her confidence. She approached the sleeping 'prince'. His fair skin looked so beautiful glistening under the pale moonlight. She was sweating, but it was due to her black attire on a summer night. Minagawa licked her lips feeling really thirsty. She couldn't go down to the kitchen to get water. She was suddenly feeling very scared, but still got a little closer to the sleeping beauty. Her face was only inches away from his and she had a strong urge of kissing him. Minagawa couldn't hold back any longer and softly kissed him. Yuki stirred a little and continued sleeping peacefully. Motoko got on the bed beside him not believing that he didn't wake up. She wanted to embrace him and gently got her body under the covers. Not being able to restrain herself and trying to hug the 'prince' she fell on top of him.   
  
Two screams were heard throughout the house. In less than a minute the light in Yuki's bedroom was turned on by Shigure and behind him were Kyou and Tohru. They were alarmed. Motoko froze and suddenly realized that Yuki had disappeared. "Where is he?" She asked shocked and suddenly saw something small moving under the covers. She lifted them and screamed terrified: "A RAT!!!!!!!! A HORRIBLE DIRTY RAT ON YUKI'S BED!!!!" Motoko fell off the bed screaming and the rat was approaching her. "Get away from me you ugly rodent! Someone kill it! KILL IT!" Rat Yuki undestood that Minagawa-senpai hadn't realized what had happened and so he ran out of the room. Following the rat's trail with her eyes Motoko suddenly saw Tohru standing at the door to Yuki's room with Kyou and a man she didn't know. "You witch! How come you are here?" Her eyes noticed Tohru's clothing, a nightgown. Motoko was now horrified.   
  
"You hypnotized prince Yuki to get to sleep in his house, didn't you?" Motoko was pointing at Tohru. Shigure had to speak: "Actually Tohru-kun lives here. She helps us with the cleaning." Shigure smiled proudly. "That kuso nezumi, bringing girls to his room. It's sickening." Kyou seemed really annoyed. Tohru entered the room and looked worriedly at Motoko. "Minagawa-senpai, did you come to visit? Yuki-kun didn't tell me he had invited you to stay. If he had told me you could have stayed in my room..." Shigure started to laugh. "Tohru kun, Kyou-kun! It's obvious that she came uninvited! Don't you see how she is dressed?" Shigure then turned a little serious. "You broke into my house young lady! Were you trying to seduce poor Yuki?" His eyes glistened and he wasn't serious anymore. "Ah! L'amour! Makes you even try desperate measures to get what you want." Kyou was tired and angry. "Shut up you idiot!" And with that Kyou left towards his room not caring about what was going to happen next. Shigure then whispered to Tohru: "Check on Yuki. I think he is in your room." Tohru quickly understood. "Hai Shigure-san!" Shigure then escorted Motoko to the front door and watched her put on her shoes. He had to ask a certain question before letting her leave. "Did you see anything out of the ordinary?" Motoko yelled: "OF COURSE I SAW SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY! PRINCE YUKI SLEEPS WITH A PET RAT! AND TO TOP IT ALL, THAT HONDA WITCH LIVES HERE!" Shigure was relieved. The girl hadn't noticed the truth behind the rat in Yuki's room. She hadn't even noticed that Yuki's pijamas had been between the covers too. "Well, go home young lady. Your parents must be worried. And please don't break into my house again without my permission." Minagawa Motoko was now embarrassed and ran as fast as she could without even saying she was sorry.   
  
Shigure went up the stairs and noticed Tohru trembling in front of her room. "Tohru-kun, what's wrong?" She almost couldn't speak. "In... Saw... Naked..." Shigure rapidly understood and went into Yuki's room and fetched Yuki's pjs with a grin plastered on his face. "Tohru-kun, you can give him his clothes and then you won't have a naked boy in your room. Although it is not such a bad thing, is it?" Shigure winked at her and went to his own room closing the door behind him. Tohru felt her face growing really hot and she opened her bedroom door a little trying to give Yuki his pijamas without seeing his naked body again, but to her 'bad luck' he had been about to open the door himself and flung it completely open dragging Tohru inside. Tohru fell on her stomach and her eyes went upwards seeing everything again. She screamed and slammed her face on the floor embarrassed. Yuki quickly put on his pjs and kneeled in front of her. "Honda-san, are you alright? Will you be okay?" She nodded still not being able to face him. "I'm going back to my room then, Honda-san. We can... talk in the morning. Try to sleep." After Yuki had gone Tohru stood up and went towards her bed walking almost in a zombie state. She wasn't sure if she was going to be able to sleep.   
  
Motoko was at her home already. She couldn't understand the last events, but she did learn a few things. She learned that Yuki is extremely quick. After all he fled from his room without her even realizing it. The 2nd fact was harder to accept. Yuki not only has a pet rat, but he also sleeps with it. How unprince like to share a bed with a rat. But the 3rd fact was the worst. Honda Tohru is living in prince Yuki's house. The witch seemed to have won, but no. Motoko would never give up. She was going to fight for prince Yuki's sake. She was going to free him from the witch's grasp. Motoko had plans for an emergency meeting of the Prince Yuki fan club. The next day was going to be a long day. 


	2. Meetings and Tohru's 'burden'

Notes: In what I've read of the manga I haven't read about Koto Mai (I don't own that volume yet, but read a translation). Just Motoko, Mio, and Minami, but I decided to use Mai from the anime also because most people have seen the anime, but haven't read the manga.   
  
*I don't own Fruits Basket *English IS NOT my first language so be merciful with me. Pls. review! Onegai!  
  
Turned into an ongoing fic and thank you for your reviews! Ureshii!  
  
On with the fic.   
  
2. Meetings and Tohru's 'burden'  
  
Motoko was tossing and turning in her bed. Nightmares plagued her throughout the night and all of them had Honda Tohru, the Yankee, and that horrifying psychic. The three were dressed in witch black dresses with big hats and all, and had a screaming Yuki in a huge boiling cauldron. That was in the first nightmare. In the second nightmare the trio were all vampires sucking Yuki dry and then laughing maniacally. In the third nightmare Yuki was a prisoner inside a tower and the trio were fire breathing dragons standing guard and incinerating anyone who would get near. A fourth nightmare had Yuki seated in front of a TV and suddenly in the TV there was a well and three female figures were getting out of the well with their hair covering their faces. The blonde one and the brown haired one were to the sides dressed with white dresses, but the one in the middle had very long wavy black hair and was wearing a long black dress that fluttered ghastly in the wind. The three figures got out of the TV approaching Yuki and Motoko could identify the disfigured faces: the psychic from hell in the middle, the Yankee at the left, and the seductress on the right. Yuki was screaming. Each nightmare had a different plot, but all of them stated the same thing. Prince Yuki needed help or he would be devoured by those three evil beings.   
  
Motoko woke up sweating and saying out loud: "I have to save him!" She was gasping for breath and her hair was matted against her face. The Prince Yuki Fan Club president grabbed her alarm clock. It read 5:55 AM so she turned off the alarm button so that the clock wouldn't ring at 6:00 AM as it was programmed to. No need for it to ring when she was already awake. Suddenly her mother's face could be heard: "Motoko, now you even wake up talking to yourself! This child of mine blah blah blah..." "Shut up mother! Leave me alone! I have important things to do!" Then talking to herself again: "Why did she have to give born to me a year early!? Life is so unfair! I could have been in the prince's class!" A little voice then spoke to her: 'But then you wouldn't have been the Prince Yuki Fan Club president.' "Arggh!"  
  
Getting up wasn't difficult at all for Motoko. Huge tasks awaited her and that emergency meeting was definitely a priority. Of course there were things that had to be left untouched. One of them was the fact of the infiltration. The second one was that she had been alone. One of the Fan Club rules was not to go to the Prince's house. Another rule was that the Prince was to be addressed by two or more members of the club. Minagawa was already getting a headache thinking about how she was going to omit those teeny weeny details. Of course there was always a way and she would figure one out for sure. Just as she was going to figure a way to free Yuki Sohma from the trio from hell. She grabbed her school uniform and put it on with many thoughts keeping her mind busy.   
  
Minagawa Motoko ran to school hurriedly. Her heart was beating fast and loud. She could still see images of Honda Tohru in a nightgown in Prince Yuki's house! That was unforgivable! Not being part of the Prince Yuki fan club didn't make you exempt of the rules. The 'commandments' had to be obeyed and that girl was not going to get out with that. No way! Honda Tohru had to pay. Although there was still hope. She was now blushing to herself. After all, she had managed to give prince Yuki the kiss of love. She had read that kisses broke enchantments and curses. Maybe now Yuki was free from the Honda enchantress thanks to her kiss. Motoko smiled to herself, but then turned serious again thinking about the other parts of what had happened.   
  
Mio, Mai, and Minami were already at school waiting for their kaichou. They were surprised when they saw their kaichou running towards them as if the devil himself had been pursuing her. Motoko stopped before them trying to steady her breathing. "Mio-san, Minami-san, Mai-san..." Minagawa Motoko suddenly thought they needed somewhere private. "Let's go to the school's ceiling." Mio, Minami, and Mai stared at their kaichou blinking several times, but then walked with her to the staircase leading to the school's ceiling.  
  
On the ceiling Motoko addressed them. "Mio-san, Minami-san, Mai-san. We have a terrible problem. The witch, that Honda Tohru, is living in the prince's house." The three girls were horrified were and screamed. After getting the screams out of their chests it was time to ask. "How!?", Minami asked. "Since when?", asked Mio. "Who told you that?", asked Mai. They looked desperate. "Girls... I have no idea how this happened, but my source is reliable. And that's not all." Motoko suddenly started to weep and both girls pitied her: "Kaichou! What's wrong?" Between sobs Motoko spoke: "Yuki... Our prince Yuki... He..." More uncontrollable sobbing. "HE WHAT???", asked the girls at the same time. "He... *sob* owns a pet rat. It's so disgusting. I still cannot believe it. Plus... *sob* He sleeps with it!" The girls were definitely disgusted too. It showed in their nauseated and shocked expressions. "It's okay kaichou. The worst rat is still Honda Tohru", said Minami. "You're right!" Motoko had her spirits high again. "You're right Minami-san! That girl is definitely the worst of it all!" Then the bell rang and the girls went down the staircase and headed to their different classrooms.   
  
***  
  
That night Tohru couldn't sleep either. Images of a naked Yuki in her room wouldn't let her concentrate on sleeping. Suddenly she thought: 'Do you really need to concentrate to sleep?' The fact was that sleeping was difficult. The events of Yuki transforming because Minagawa sempai had fallen on him and Yuki naked in her room were no joke. At least their sempai hadn't joined the rat and Yuki as one. But the worst part had been seeing Yuki with no clothes on. She had seen him before, but not entirely. She had always managed to cover her eyes enough for not seeing 'everything'. In the end sleep took her before she could think any further.   
  
Yuki was counting 'Hiros' on his bed. He was still nervous after what had happened. His sempai had actually broken into their house and entered his room! He hadn't felt anything. He was good in martial arts, but he was definitely weak when it came to sleeping. He slept like a log after all and he was difficult to wake. It was a miracle he hadn't attacked that girl in his sleep as he had done with Kyou. On the other hand there was Tohru. He was suddenly blushing when he thought of that sweet girl. This time she had definitely seen all of him. Yuki shuddered at the thought of Tohru seeing his... his... It was better not to think about it. After all he was a man. It is worse for a girl to be seen naked than for a man. He could live with it, but Tohru? She was so innocent. He definitely had to apologize first thing in the morning. With that last thought he went into a deep slumber.   
  
Morning came and Tohru got up as if everything had been forgotten. After dressing up in her uniform she went to the kitchen, put on an apron, and started breakfast. As usual Kyou came to the kitchen to grab the carton of milk and drink directly from it. Tohru smiled at him. "Good morning Kyou-kun!" Kyou blushed a little and got the carton inside the fridge turning to Tohru. "Morning." He then helped Tohru bring the plates and breakfast to the table.   
  
Yuki came down and he was actually completely awake and in his uniform. Shigure passed him saying: "Good morning Yuki-kun!" and sat on his place in front of the table. Yuki looked at the three already seated waiting for him to sit too. "Good morning Honda-san, Shigure, and... *cough* Kyou." Kyou straightened eyeing Yuki suspiciously: "Morning." After everyone finished greeting themselves Yuki sat and looked worriedly at Tohru. Everyone was already eating. "Honda-san, I wanted to apologize for last night. You seemed disturbed. I'm sorry if I caused you to feel uncomfortable." Kyou raised his eyes again looking at them both. Tohru smiled at Yuki, but her smile wasn't that bright. It seemed forced: "It's alright Yuki-kun! I'm alright!" Suddenly Kyou grabbed a banana from a basket of fruits on the table to complete his breakfast and Tohru shrieked. Kyou yelled at her: "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU SHRIEK FOR, AHO!" But he then calmed. That was not a nice way to start the day after all: "I'm sorry, I mean, you can shriek for no reason at all." "I'm sorry Kyou-kun! I think I'll get my things now!" Tohru had lost her appetite and what was left of her breakfast she gently picked up and got into the kitchen to dispose of it.  
  
Kyou stared at Yuki: "What did you do to her?" "None of your business!" Kyou spoke loudly towards the kitchen: "What did he do to you?" Yuki was getting angry and stood up: "I TOLD YOU IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS BAKA NEKO!" Tohru got out of the kitchen making Yuki sit down and Kyou calm down. Shigure was looking at them and he finished his breakfast. "I am going to my office now! Take care youngsters!" And he left with no further comments, but giggling a little which made Kyou more suspicious that something had indeed happened and the dog certainly knew. He was pissed at the fact he was the only one that didn't know. Did it have to do with the girl that had broken in? 'Probably', thought Kyou. He stood up furious: "If I am going to be left out in this then I certainly won't walk with you two!" He took his things and left for school with Tohru trying to call him back. "Kyou-kun! Kyou-kun! Please!" "Honda-san, it's no use. Let him be. It will pass." Yuki was getting his things and smiled at Tohru. "I will walk with you Honda-san." "Thank you Yuki-kun." Tohru was blushing.   
  
Arriving at school Tohru saw her two best friends while Yuki was being summoned by the student council vice-president Kakeru Manabe. "Honda-san, I will leave you with your friends now. See you later." Tohru got to her friends and Hana-chan immediately perceived something: "Tohru, are you okay?" "I-I'm fine Hana-chan! Uo-chan! Good morning!" "Good morning Tohru!", both friends answered back. Tohru suddenly felt very sick. She had been trying to hold what little breakfast she had eaten before the banana sight in Kyou's hand and she couldn't hold it anymore. She threw up alarming Hana-chan and Uo-chan who hid Tohru as best as they could to not draw any attention.   
  
Uo-chan looked worriedly at her innocent friend. "Oi Tohru, what's the matter ya sick?" Hana-chan looked at Tohru somewhat interested in her naiive friend. "Is Tohru-kun feeling really alright?" There seemed to be warmth and a certain degree of understanding in Saki's eyes. Tohru inhaled some air and spoke: "Last night... I-I saw it." "What did you see Tohru?", asked Arisa getting more worried. "Yuki-kun's... Thing." Arisa and Saki got huge sweatdrops. Arisa then laughed loudly: "Tohru! You! You threw up because you saw the prince naked??? Was it THAT bad???" "Arisa, please control yourself. You're being a bit too loud", expressed Saki concerned. Tohru was terribly embarrassed. "It's not that it was bad or anything like that... I was alarmed! A bit... Disturbing..." Arisa grabbed Tohru by the shoulders: "It must have been truly disturbing to make you throw up!" "Umm... Uo-chan, I actually threw up because Kyou-kun this morning grabbed a banana and... It reminded me of the 'thing'." Arisa now looked truly concerned. "Okay Tohru, now you are scaring me. It's not like you've never seen a male naked before, right?" Saki spoke on Tohru's behalf: "Arisa, this is Tohru, not you. You were always wild. Tohru... She is innocent and she was raised by her mother. I have brothers, but Tohru grew up only with her mother. She had never seen a male naked before." "Riiight", was Uo-chan's response with a grin. 


	3. School day

3. School day  
  
The bell rang and the three girls headed for class greeting Momiji and Haru on the way, who also were heading for their own classroom. Uo-chan kept grinning making Tohru uneasy. Class started.   
  
During class Tohru kept staring at Yuki. Same thing happened on their next courses and by lunchtime Uo-chan and Hana-chan were worried about her. "Oi Tohru! You're making a big mess out of that." "It's true Tohru-kun. You should just forget about it. It's making your waves very unstable." "I know! I will show you some Playgirl magazines and you'll forget!", said Arisa enthusiastically and Tohru was so red that it seemed smoke was going to come out of her head. "I don't think that's what our Tohru-kun needs Arisa", stated Saki. Yuki approached the three girls noticing Tohru still out of it. He had noticed her staring at him during the morning classes. Arisa immediately spat the question lingering in her mind without further thinking: "Oi prince! So how did it happen!?" Yuki seemed confused. "What... happened, Uotani-san?" Saki gave a disapproving look to Arisa: "Arisa, not like that." Arisa then rephrased. "Umm... Prince, what I mean is what is it with Tohru? She is not being herself!" Yuki understood: "Uotani-san, Hanajima-san, may I borrow Honda-san for a while?" Saki nodded affirmatively and Arisa approved: "Sure! Good luck Tohru!"   
  
Yuki took Tohru by the hand and was heading towards a secluded aisle, but was stopped by Haru and Momiji. "Yuki, where are you going and what's wrong with Kyou?", asked Haru. Momiji was bouncing next to Haru: "To-ru! To-ru! Can we eat some hot dogs after school? Your friends can join us! I know this great place that makes these juicy hot dogs! They are delicious!" Tohru had been getting paler and paler with Momiji's talking and suddenly her whiteness turned to green. She let go of Yuki's hand and ran towards the nearest restroom to "get rid" of her recently eaten lunch. Haru and Momiji were pretty startled and Haru asked: "What was that all about? Does she have diarrhea or something?" Momiji then looked concerned: "Yuki, is To-ru sick?" Yuki sighed quite loudly and spoke to Momiji first: "Momiji, Honda-san is not feeling very well I was on my way to talk to her about it. Just don't mention anything about hot dogs or bananas to her at least today." Yuki had remembered the 'banana incident' in the morning and had immediately linked it with the new 'hot dog incident'. He then spoke to Hatsuharu: "About Kyou, he is just mad at me as usual and you already heard where I was going now. Please excuse me."  
  
Yuki waited in front of the girl's restroom until Tohru got out. He then led her to an empty classroom. Four shadows followed them and stood in front of the door to the empty classroom thinking of opening it a little.   
  
"Should we open it?", asked Mai. "No way!", whispered Minami. "If we open it they will surely notice!", added Mio. "We will just spy through the window. At least we will be able to see what the witch is up to", said Motoko pointing to the small window on the door.  
  
Yuki was silent for a while walking from side to side. He was thinking hard about how to handle the situation without upsetting Tohru further more. "Honda-san, I am truly worried about you. You don't seem to be handling this well. I don't want this to go to the extremes." "Wh-What do you mean Yuki-kun?" Yuki cornered Tohru against the blackboard. "Honda-san, if you cannot handle that memory we can go to Hatori and he can remove just that. Just that, Honda-san." Tohru seemed hurt and scared: "Do you want that Yuki-kun?" "Of course not Honda-san! I have never liked people's memories being erased! It's just that... You... You're not being yourself after last night. I can handle it. I'm just a little embarrassed, but for me is not a big issue. For you on the other hand..." Yuki's eyes darkened and he stopped cornering Tohru as he had been by removing his arms from touching the blackboard at her sides. Tohru was on the verge of tears. Yuki was right. She wasn't being strong enough. She was 17 years old! "Yuki-kun! I will be strong! I promise! We won't need Hatori!" "Are you sure Honda-san?" "I am sure!" She looked pretty determined so Yuki gave her a kiss on her forehead. "Let's go then Honda-san. The bell will ring anytime soon."  
  
Motoko and the others had been fighting to see. The four faces couldn't look through the window at the same time. They had gasped when they had seen Yuki cornering Tohru. Mio had even exclaimed: "Oh no! He's gonna kiss her!" But they were relieved when they saw the prince seemed to be only talking in that position. Then they saw he kissed her on her forehead and Minami has started to wail: "She is making him kiss her on her forehead! She has him!" Motoko scolded Minami: "Don't you dare say that she has him. We will rescue him from her grasp for very soon for sure." Then they had seen the couple approaching the door: "Eep!", exclaimed Mai. And so they had ran as fast as they could.  
  
Yuki and Tohru came out of the newly empty classroom and Yuki was watching both sides of the aisle alertedly. "Yuki-kun! Is everything alright?" "That's funny! I thought I saw faces looking through the window when we were heading for the door." Tohru looked at Yuki pretty confused, but he smiled at her reassuringly.  
  
Uotani and Hanajima had encountered Momiji and Haru, plus Kyou had also joined them. In the end Kyou was determined to learn what had happened and he was pretty sure that the Yankee and the Psychic already had an idea about it. Hatsuharu and Momiji had thought of the same thing. Something had happened between Tohru and Yuki and they also wanted to find out. "Hey Orange Top! You've been very silent today!" Kyou grinned at her: "Don't get your hopes high Yankee. So what's wrong with Tohru?" He had gotten to the point surprising Momiji and Haru. Saki smiled a little bit and spoke monotonously: "That's the reason you wanted to speak with us. You don't usually approach us when Tohru is not with us." Arisa was grinning. "I thought you knew that Tohru had seen the Sohma Prince naked Orange Top!" "Ah...", came from Kyou's mouth and then he closed it. Haru didn't look amused in the least, but Momiji looked worried. "How did To-ru take it?" "She threw up", said Saki. Hatsuharu opened his eyes pretty big at this remark, Momiji turned red, and Kyou started to laugh in a scary way. "How could she throw up? She couldn't appreciate Yuki's beauty. That is a blasphemy", was Haru's response to the matter. Momiji then tried to calm Haru before he could turn 'Black': "Umm, Haru, I don't think it was because of his body. I am sure it was because it's just like To-ru. She couldn't take it. She's too pure." Momiji then lowered his gaze. Arisa smiled at the blonde childish boy: "You know kid, you really fooled me. You're more mature than what I thought!" The bell then rang.   
  
After school they were all together except for Kyou who seemed to have disappeared. Momiji had changed his plans. "Well everyone, we can go for some ice cream! I know this great place!" "Ice cream sounds delicious", affirmed Saki. "I want a banana split", suddenly said Haru. Yuki gave him a nasty glance. "I was kidding," said Haru then. Tohru laughed nervously. She hadn't reacted as she had before. "We can actually go for the hot dogs as Momiji-kun originally wanted!" Tohru was smiling being her usual self and Momiji was now very happy. "Yaiiiiiiii! To-ru wants to eat a yummy hot dog! Let's go everyone!" Tohru didn't react at all, but Yuki was the one who winced at the way Momiji had said it.   
  
Tohru and Yuki got home. Tohru didn't have to work that day. She had missed Kyou. He still wouldn't show himself. "Tadaima!", both had said in unison and Ayame came happily to receive them: "Okaeri! Yuuukiiii! Come hug your oniisan!" Yuki's gaze had darkened. "What... are you doing here?" "Gure invited me of course! He told me all about it! Yuki is a man now. He is one with the princess!" "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?" Yuki was furious and Tohru was turning red, red, and more red. Ayame seemed to be ignoring Yuki: "So beautiful flower, how was it? Is he big? Is he good in bed?" Tohru seemed as if she was going to faint. "JUST SHUT UP!!!!! THERE IS NOTHING BETWEEN US! NOTHING!" Yuki suddenly noticed what he had just said while Tohru ran crying upstairs to her room. Ayame was alarmed and without any more comments retreated to Shigure's office.   
  
A scream came from upstairs while Yuki was approaching the staircase making him run up the stairs pretty fast. Tohru had opened her bedroom and had found Kyou naked there. She was crying kneeling on the floor. "What the hell are you doing baka neko? Put on some clothes!" Kyou dressed and yelled at Yuki: "YOU SHOWED YOURSELF TO HER BECAUSE YOU WANT HER FOR YOUSELF! I'M GLAD SHE ACTUALLY PUKED AFTER SEEING YOU! SERVES YOU RIGHT KUSO NEZUMI!" Yuki swallowed Kyou's extreme stupidity and decided not to yell nor start a fight. He just wanted to calm Tohru. "Look Kyou, I am in no mood to fight right now. You can think whatever you want, but I assure you that unlike now with you, last night was an accident. I have to talk to Honda-san so please leave us." Kyou was having a concience, but he wasn't going to show it to Yuki so he left.   
  
"Honda-san... I am so sorry. I was so mad at my brother's insane remarks that I didn't control what came out of my mouth. There truly is... something between us. What I meant was that it wasn't what my perverted brother was thinking. Please..." Yuki had expected her to tell him to leave, but she actually looked at him. "It's okay Yuki-kun. Thank you." Yuki blushed a little and then he asked: "Honda-san... Is it true... That you threw up because you saw me?" Tohru giggled a little: "No, Yuki-kun. I did throw up, but it was after the two 'incidents' and not after I saw you." Yuki was relieved. Tohru hadn't been able to handle the 'food incidents' with the food in her stomach. "And Honda-san, did you see Kyou naked?" Tohru reddened and suddenly thought out loud: "Kyou-kun is so big!" She then put her hands over her mouth. Yuki seemed shocked, but then they both started to laugh.   
  
Shigure and Ayame had been spying on Yuki and Tohru and both had laughed at what Tohru had just said. "I think my little brother is falling for her Gure." Shigure then added: "True! He did seem worried about her throwing up because of his body..." Then they both said: "Yoshi!" Yuki then opened the door and a dark aura surrounded him: "What are you two perverts doing?" Ayame and Shigure both ran away from the scary Yuki.   
  
Kyou was really embarrassed. He had surely made a fool of himself waiting for Tohru naked in her room. He acted so stupid sometimes. Why did he have to be like that? Suddenly his gaze fell on two delicate hands grabbing the border of the ceiling. Then Tohru appeared. "Kyou-kun! You didn't eat your dinner! Is everything alright?" Kyou was surprised. She didn't seem to remember what had happened. "I... I'm sorry about before, in your room." "I know Kyou-kun. It's alright. Maybe I needed that. It's a little bit more comfortable when instead of one male you've seen two." She then giggled and Kyou blushed. "Here!" She unwrapped a handkerchief with three onigiri. "Thanks." Kyou ate hungrily while Tohru watched him. "You know Kyou-kun, it was an accident. It happened when I entered my room. I should have known that he was going to be naked when his pijamas had been left on his bed." "Tohru, he could have covered himself with you sheets at least." "I thought about that Kyou-kun, but knowing Yuki-kun, I think he thought it wasn't proper to cover himself using MY sheets." Kyou thought for a while and somehow pictured himself in the same situation. He would have neved dared wrapped his body in Tohru's sheets. It was something only a pervert like Shigure would have done.   
  
That night Kyou was having a nice dream. He was in his orange cat form hunting Yuki in rat form. He had cornered Yuki in front of a wall. Yuki couldn't escape. He was going to eat the rat and was savouring the moment seeing rat Yuki trembling in front of him. Then Kyou had bitten Yuki and they had both transformed into their human forms and Kyou was biting Yuki's naked shoulder. The dream had turned into a gross nightmare and Kyou woke up with a scream: "AHHHHHHHHH!" 


	4. How to get rid of the witch

Notes: 1. 3rd year students are normally 18 so I assume they can a driver's licence at least if they have enough money to get one. Driving School in Japan is pretty takai. It costs 300,000 yen (about $2,830 in equivalency at this day). 2. Classes in Japan were from Monday to Saturday, but many schools have changed that and now most schools don't give classes on Saturdays. This is pretty new. I believe it started by the end of 2002 or in 2003.  
  
*Thank you for all your reviews!!!   
  
4. How to get rid of the witch  
  
It was 1:00 AM when Kyou's scream was heard through the house. Tohru woke up Frankenstein style as she had done the morning Kyou had also screamed when he had found Ayame sleeping beside him. She thought it was the same situation as well except that she clearly remembered Ayame had left right after dinner. When she got to Kyou's room Shigure and Yuki were already there. Yuki was scanning the room more like a hawk than like a rat. Shigure suddenly asked also scanning the room: "Where are the high school girls?" Kyou yelled at Shigure and Yuki: "THERE ARE NO GIRLS HERE! I AM NOT THE RAT!!!" "THEN WHY DID YOU WAKE US BAKA NEKO!!!" Yuki exploded. "I HAD A NIGHTMARE WITH YOU IN IT KUSO NEZUMI!!!" Shigure looked happy: "OH MY GOD! KYOU-KUN IS GAY! I HAVE TO TELL AYA!" Kyou turned red involuntarily: "YOU PERVERTED DOG! IT'S NOT LIKE THAT! I WAS GOING TO KILL THE RAT!" Shigure grinned mischievously: "Then how come it was a nightmare Kyou-kun? That would be a nice dream for you!" "IT CHANGED SUDDENLY TO... SOMETHING ELSE! NOW GET OUT OF MY ROOM!" Kyou suddenly flew from his bed hitting the wall hard. At least he didn't made a hole, but the wall cracked. Yuki satisfied with making Kyou fly left the room. Tohru was in shock mode. "Honda-san, forget about that stupid cat and try to sleep."   
  
Right after Yuki and Shigure had left Tohru ran to Kyou. "Kyou-kun, are you alright?" "I'm fine, just go to sleep as the rat told you too. It's not a big deal." Kyou stood up and walked to his bed. Tohru then gave him a kiss on his right cheek: "Good night Kyou-kun. Sleep tight!" And then she left leaving a cherry red looking Kyou behind.   
  
At 1:15 AM Minagawa Motoko was still talking on the phone with Kinoshita Minami. "That is a bad idea Minami-san! We cannot throw ourselves at them! Who knows what the underworld psychic might do to us!" "Look sempai, maybe we can follow that girl Honda Tohru. In my research I found out that she works part time in some building." "What building Minami-san?" "No idea Kaichou. That's why we have to follow her and check it out. I believe that she works tomorrow." "That is a great idea Minami-san. Maybe..." Motoko was suddenly interrupted by her mother's yells: "Are you talking to yourself again Motoko! At this rate I'll have to take you to a shrink!" "Chotto matte Minami-san. Mother! Shut up! I'm on the phone!" "At 1:20 in the morning? It's a school night! Oh this child o' mine..." "Whatever", said Motoko. "Minami-san, sorry about that. Yes that was the woman who calls herself my mother. Look, as I said it's a great idea. We'll follow her tomorrow, I mean today in the afternoon. Yes, Minami-san, we'll use the special uniforms. Alright. Bye." 'Click'  
  
That day the Prince Yuki Fan Club were spying on Tohru the whole time. Yamagishi Mio had a mini digi cam with which she had been taking several pictures. She then had shown the pictures in the camera to the rest. One had Tohru with Saki and Arisa, one had Tohru laughing with Momiji, another had Tohru talking with the black and white haired boy, another had her with Kyou and so on, but none had her with Yuki. Motoko was alarmed: "Why isn't there a picture of the witch with Yuki?" Mio revised the pictures running them in her camera one by one: "Kaichou, I haven't seen her with the prince today." Koto Mai rolled her eyes: "That's because the prince has been with the student council all day. I saw him with that weirdo Manabe." Motoko smiled: "Any time of her without the prince in her grasp is golden." Suddenly Motoko opened her eyes like saucers and started to laugh maniacally. "Kaichou, you look scary!", exclaimed Kinoshita. Mio and Mai stared dumbfounded at their president and Motoko calmed down and addressed them: "I have such a great idea! Girls, we are going to get rid of that Honda girl for good!" "How!?"- asked the other three girls in unison. "By making Yuki hate her!!!" The girls seemed shocked and confused and Motoko continued: "In order to get her away from Yuki we have to make her fall for another boy! Why didn't I think of it before?" They all grinned and the bell for the afternoon classes rang.  
  
After classes they were meeting again in their favorite classroom. The one with all the Prince Yuki ornaments they had made. "Who are we going to use Kaichou? One of the prince's cousins?" "Are you insane Mio-san? We cannot use them! They would never do it and they would ruin our plans! They're too goody goody friendly with that girl." "Then who?", asked Mai. Motoko grinned evilly: "Someone with a despicable heart and a great actor. He is in my class and he owes me one. His name is Kago Masayuki and he is a third cousin of mine. Ahahahahahahahahahaha!!!" A girl suddenly came to the room and warned the Fan Club: "I think Honda Tohru is about to leave now for her work." Motoko turned to the girl that had interrupted their meeting: "Thank you Rimi-san. Girls! We have work to do!"  
  
The girls came out of the room quickly and went outside. They saw Tohru still chatting with the Sohmas, the Yankee, and the Pyschic and saying farewell to them. One of the Sohmas left with Tohru though. It was Sohma Momiji. Motoko seemed angered: "Heck! Why is he leaving with her? Hmmm... Doesn't matter. He's just a brat. Let's go change!" They rapidly changed clothes and were now dressed in what seemed like Power Ranger uniforms. Motoko was the one in red, Minami was pink, Mio was yellow, and Mai was orange. Instead of helmets they covered their heads and faces with ninja masks that had the same color of their uniforms. In this fashion they catched up with Tohru and Momiji and quietly hiding themselves from the couple they kept following them until they have reached a building.   
  
"To-ru! I will go now and present myself to my father. Will you need help?" "Of course not Momiji-chan! I'll be quite alright and Kyou-kun will pick me up and walk with me afterwards!" "Okay then, bye To-ru!" Momiji entered the bulding first and Tohru followed.   
  
The 'Prince Yuki protectors' entered the building behind Tohru. They managed to hide and watch Tohru change to her working clothes. "What the...!? She's a janitor? How disgusting!", whispered Minami. Motoko laughed a little bit and added: "Suits her well! Don't you think girls?" Mio suddenly thought out loud: "Yeah, but maybe the prince sees her as some kind of 'cinderella'" The other girls flinched at the comment.   
  
"This is boring!", exclaimed Mai as the hours passed and suddenly they noticed Tohru saying 'good bye' to the 'aunties' that worked with her and heading for her locker. They followed Tohru and saw her change back to her school uniform and head for the door. They followed suit and gasped. There was Yuki, their important Prince Yuki waiting for Tohru to walk her home.   
  
"Yuki-kun! I thought it was Kyou-kun's turn to come!" Yuki smiled lovingly and answered her question: "Kyou is in a bit of a situation back home. Kagura came and she won't let him go anywhere." Tohru giggled. "Thank you Yuki-kun!" "It was nothing Honda-san." Then Tohru walked with Yuki happily.   
  
The 'Prince Yuki protectors' followed the couple all the way to the house. "Why do they have to walk through woods to get to the house? It's scary!" "Mio-san, think about it! It's better this way. These woods guard our Prince's castle, I mean house", said the kaichou. Minami looked angered and concerned: "Your source was right Kaichou. That girl does live with the prince. How did she do it?" Motoko thought about and then said: "I have no idea how it happened, but I will certainly find out." Mai then asked innocently looking at the house: "Does Honda Tohru sleep in Yuki's bed?" Motoko looked alarmed: "Of course not Mai-san! The pet rat sleeps with the prince, but not the witch! Don't you ever insinuate something that disgusting ever again!" Mio stared at their Kaichou: "More disgusting than sleeping with a rat kaichou?" "Shut up Mio-san! And let's get out of here! I have to call my cousin!"   
  
Kyou had gotten rid of Kagura. Actually she had left on her own after torturing him for a while. She had left after Tohru and Yuki returned so Kyou was able to get some peace on the roof. He suddenly saw something bright pink moving between the trees and he rubbed his eyes and focused again. He then saw something bright orange, something, bright yellow, and something bright red. The bright 'things' seemed to be fading as if leaving. Kyou blinked several times and decided that he surely needed to sleep, so he got down from the roof.   
  
That morning Motoko sat in front of her bedroom mirror. She was studying her features. 'Yes. I am beautiful and I shall not think otherwise', she thought. Then smiling to herself she left for school. That day was going to be special. She was going to ask Yuki out.   
  
That morning Tohru was laughing with the Sohmas and her two best friends when a boy approached her. "Good morning. Can I speak to you in private?" Tohru seemed shocked. The boy had light brown hair and brown eyes. He was pretty cute and Tohru knew he was a 3rd year student. "O-Of course! Good morning!" Tohru bowed and left with the boy leaving the others stupefeid.   
  
"You're name is Honda Tohru-san, right?" "My name is Kago Masayuki." "Pleased to meet you Kago-san!" "The pleasure is all mine Tohru-san and please call me Masayuki. Or you can call me Masa if you think it's shorter", said the boy quite politely. Tohru gave him a bright smile: "Of course Masa-sempai!" "Please, not 'san' or 'sempai'. Just Masa." "Okay Masa... kun?" Masayuki smiled at her and went to the point. "Tohru-chan, can I call you that? Well, I just wanted to tell you that I think you are very beautiful and I want you to go with me on a date on Saturday, meaning the day after tomorrow." "EH!? EEEEHHHHH!?" Tohru was strawberry red. "I... I... Eto..." Masayuki giggled and spoke to her ear: "I'll pick you up at 6:00 PM at the Bus stop in front of this school. I have a car." He then winked at her and without letting her answer he left.   
  
Kyou immediately grabbed Tohru by her right arm. "What did that guy wanted?" Tohru started to join her index fingers together nervously. "He-He invited me on a date." "And you politely refused, right?" "Actually I wasn't able to say anything and now I'm kind of... trapped." "What do you mean trapped?" "Ehehehehe... I... am supposed to be picked up by him at the Bus station on Saturday at 6:00PM. He has a car" "WHAT!?" Kyou seemed about to explode and Yuki entered the conversation. "Honda-san, what happened?" Kyou didn't let her answer: "That geek asked her on a date and this girl acted so dumb that the geek managed to trap her into going out with him!" "Honda-san, is that true? I can talk to him and tell him that you really don't want to go!" "No! Yuki-kun! I got into this and I will get out of this by myself!" Yuki looked scared and Kyou was pissed. They both saw Tohru leave to talk to Arisa and Saki. "What if that guy is dangerous? What if he does something to Honda-san?" "Oi nezumi, the geek even has a car." Now Yuki looked really afraid.   
  
Yuki couldn't concentrate on his classes during all of the morning period. Thoughts of that guy with Tohru in his car kept haunting him. What if that guy asked Tohru for a kiss? And then for something else? Tohru was capable of serving herself in a golden plate if that meant making someone happy. Reminded him of the story that Momiji had told them about the stupid man.   
  
Kyou was angry. How many times had he told Tohru to quit that goofy smile of hers that made her look so dumb? Who knew what that guy wanted from her, but Kyou knew something for sure. If that guy hurt Tohru he was going to make him pay for sure. Suddenly a thought came to Kyou. He saw Tohru in that guy's car. The guy was asking a question: "Would you be mine Tohru? Right now?" And Tohru smiling and answering: "Of course if it is what makes you happy!" Kyou shuddered and decided to put that horrible thought away.   
  
After school Tohru went straight for work. She was going to work a little earlier. Yuki had a student council meeting that took a good three hours. He then was going to leave, but a girl stopped him. "Yuki-kun, I wanted to talk to you." "Hi Minagawa-sempai! How are you doing?" "I-I'm fine, but I wanted to apologize. It's been a few days now and I haven't apologized yet for..." "Oh don't worry about it. But next time you want to 'visit' please say so in advance. It's not nice to break into people's homes, which reminds me... Did you wanted something in particular that night?" "Yes... I wanted to speak with you! I still want to! Can we go eat somewhere? Right now?" Yuki wanted to politely refuse, but Motoko suspected it and was ready. She tried 'plan B'. "I want to know about Honda-san! I mean, how did she end in your house?" Yuki stopped himself from politely refusing. He really didn't want to talk about that, but somehow felt obligated. "Where do you want to eat then?", he asked sighing. Motoko's eyes were already glistening.   
  
Some time later they were both in a restaurant. Yuki was on the pay phone telling Shigure that he was already having dinner while Motoko was placing the orders. Yuki returned to the table looking a little wild. "Something wrong?" "Just my cousin Shigure and his perverted mind." Motoko giggled at this. "So... About my question..." "Yes! Look Minagawa-sempai. Honda-san is an orphan. I guess you already know that. The only relative that actually cares for her is her grandfather from her father's side, but his family... They don't like Honda-san. My cousin Shigure and I found Honda-san living in a tent." Motoko looked incredulous, but Yuki continued: "I am not kidding Minagawa-sempai." Her expression then changed to one that seemed of concern. "Anyway, my cousin wanted a maid and since Honda-san likes cleaning and cooking she is doing that in exchange for a place to live." Yuki then thought to himself: 'It's actually deeper than that and there's also the fact of the curse, but I won't tell you more than you need to know.' "And that's all Mingawa-sempai. Does that answer your question?" Motoko was feeling very embarrassed. It was more difficult than what she had thought. If she tried to hurt Tohru, Yuki was never going to forgive her. He pitied Tohru too much and saw her as a damsel in distress. Made her glad that she was using Masayuki. He was definitely the card to play at this game.   
  
Outside the restaurant Yuki was trying to politely say good bye to Motoko, but now she wanted him to walk her home. "Is it close Minagawa-sempai?" "Please Yuki, call me Motoko." "Is it close Motoko-sempai?" "Well, actually we have to take a train." That definitely complicated things. Yuki couldn't possibly go by train. Too crowded making the transformation into a rat 95% probable. Motoko noticed that Yuki looked uncomfortable. "I know! I will walk you home instead! How about it?" "But then you will have to go alone to your home." "That's okay with me!" "Girls shouldn't walk alone." Motoko blushed at the comment, but rapidly returned to normal: "Don't worry! I'll be just fine. So, let's go!"   
  
It was already night and they were almost at Yuki's house when Motoko had an urge to hug her prince. She suddenly grabbed Yuki's left hand and pulled him to her. He hadn't expected that move at all and he cursed himself in his mind for being so careless. *POOF* Motoko heard a strange noise and saw some smoke, but couldn't see Yuki anywhere. She only saw Yuki's school uniform on the ground and picked it up blinking a lot. She then started to call her prince. "Yuki!? Yuki where are you? This is not funny! Why is your uniform here? Are you playing tricks on me?" She searched for a while and finally gave up and walked home carrying Yuki's uniform. It was true that she could take a train, but she could also walk home. She had lied to Yuki because she had wanted to be in a train with him.   
  
Yuki was cursing himself running towards the house in his rat form. How could he have been so careless? And the girl had taken his uniform! And the uniform had his keys! Just great! That had to be the worst. What the hell was he going to do now? He then wished for Kyou to be in the roof and there he was.   
  
"Kyou! Kyou!" Kyou heard a little voice calling him and thought he was going insane. "Kyou!" There it was again and it came from below. Kyou looked down and saw a little grayish-white puff ball and focused. Yeah, it was Yuki in rat form. 'How come Yuki in that form looks fatter than in human form?', thought Kyou while climbing down.   
  
"What the hell are you doing in that form out here nezumi?" "Kyou please help me just this once." Kyou grinned. There was Yuki, the rat from the Jyuunishi depending on his merciness. "What makes you think I'll help you? And how did you end up in that form?" "Just open the door for me please. And the door to my room too!" Kyou was grinning even wider and picked up Yuki almost crushing him. Yuki cursed himself again. He had been careless again. He hadn't expected Kyou to pick him up and thought Kyou was going to kill him for sure, but Kyou actually opened the door and entered. Tohru looked at Kyou and Kyou immediately hid the rat on his back. "Do you want something Kyou-kun?" "Nah! I'm just going to my room." Yuki tried to call Tohru: "Hond-Brgh." Kyou held him a little bit too firmly on purpose and Tohru didn't hear a thing. Kyou then went up the stairs grinning evilly.   
  
Kyou first entered his room making Yuki wonder what the cat was planning to do with him. Yuki was wishing for the transformation to come and it wouldn't. It was so unpredictable when they could return to human form. Kyou grabbed some rope from his room. The he entered Tohru's room and was looking for something in Tohru's drawers and found it, and then looked for something else and took it, but Yuki couldn't see what they were. Kyou then entered Yuki's room and grabbed the chair from the desk and placed it in front of a wall. He then placed the rat on the chair and grabbed the rat's little hands firmly waiting for the transformation and it came at last. Very quickly Kyou put Yuki's hands on the back of the chair and tied them. Yuki was going to protest and he put a pair of Tohru's socks in Yuki's mouth. Then he tied Yuki's feet. Yuki felt vulnerable being naked in front of the cat, but the cat wasn't looking at his body at least. Kyou then took out the other item he had taken from Tohru's drawers. It was a nightgown that had kitties all over it. He then put it over Yuki's head, but it didn't look good with Yuki's arms underneath. He carefully untied Yuki's hands grabbing them almost hurting Yuki and using force managed to get Yuki's arms through the sleeves and rapidly tied them again. Afterwards he slid the nightgown down Yuki's body pulling down from Yuki's back not touching Yuki's butt by less than an inch. Then he pulled the rest of the nightgown down Yuki's legs. Kyou looked proud of his piece of art.  
  
Kyou got out of Yuki's room leaving a struggling Yuki sitting on the chair and looked for something he had forgotten in his room. It was a headband with kitty ears he had bought a long time ago waiting for an opportunity like this one. He also grabbed something else. Two cameras: A digital one and a common one. Then he grabbed a white cardboard with tape, wrote something on it, and then returned to Yuki's room.  
  
In the meantime Shigure had seen Kyou coming out of Yuki's room. 'What in the world is he up to?' Shigure then saw Kyou returning to Yuki's room. The older Sohma went to the kitchen and looked at Tohru who was cleaning. "Ne Tohru-kun! Has Yuki-kun returned yet?" "No, not yet Shigure-san!" "Hmm..." Tohru noticed the writer thinking. "Something the matter Shigure-san?" "Kyou-kun entered Yuki-kun's room with cameras in his hands." "EH!?" Tohru and Shigure went up the stairs and suddenly heard what was definitely Yuki's voice yelling at Kyou. "YOU BETTER GET RID OF THOSE PICTURES! I WILL GET OUT OF THESE STRAINS AND KILL YOU BAKA NEKO!" "I JUST RESCUED YOU KUSO NEZUMI!" "THIS IS NO WAY OF RESCUING ME BAKA NEKO!" Yuki then saw Tohru and Shigure staring at him. Yuki wished for the earth to swallow him. Shigure bursted laughing uncontrollably pointing at Yuki. There was Yuki wearing Tohru's kitty nightgown with some kitty ears on his head, and on the wall right behind the chair on top of Yuki there was a cardboard pasted on the wall that read: I'M REALLY A GIRL AND I LOVE CATS. 


	5. Yuki's embarrassment

Note: 1. Kawanami Taka and Kago Masayuki are students of my own creation. 2. Ito Yokado is the #1 store here in Japan. It's where I actually bought most of the few Fruits Basket volumes I own!   
  
BTW, readers... I've just recently discovered that I'm newly pregnant. Yes I actually have a baby girl so this will be my second child. And no, I am not yet Shigure's age at least. Will go to the Sanfujinka on Thursday to confirm.   
  
5. Yuki's embarrassment   
  
Yuki was enraged. Never in his life he had felt so humiliated. There he was dressed in one of Honda-san's favorite nightgowns in front of her. He didn't care about Shigure's laughing outburst and he definitely planned on killing Kyou after this, but seeing her there was like a knife had been plunged into him. He had been too weak. Ever since Tohru had been asked on a date he had become too careless. That carelessness had led him to be tied to his own chair in a nightgown that belonged to Tohru, with something horrible on his head and some poster behind him that he didn't even know what had written on it. Plus there was the fact of the pictures. He had to get rid of those pictures. First the neko had taken pictures of him with the socks in his mouth, but then he had taken them off and got some more pictures. Maybe the socks hadn't looked good for whatever the baka neko was plotting. Anyway, first things first. Yuki had to get out of that chair and change clothes. Second, he had to kill Kyou. Third, the cameras. Fourth, going outside to look for his school bag. Motoko hadn't taken his school bag with her thank God.   
  
Tohru was shocked and then she smiled a very big smile and exclaimed: "Yuki-kun! KAWAII!!! KAWAII!!!" Yuki sweatdropped. "Honda-san, please... Help!" "Oh right!" Tohru happily got behind the chair. Shigure's mad laughing could still be heard through the house, but at least he had left the room. Tohru was struggling with the ropes. "They are so tight Yuki-kun! I can't get them loose!" "A knife! Look for a knife in the kitchen!", Yuki blurted, but then thought deeply about it: 'Honda-san with a knife in her hand... She would probably cut my hands instead of the ropes'. "I... trust you Honda-san. Just cut the ropes as if you were cutting vegetables." 'Vegetables? Am I nuts?' "Hai!" Tohru ran downstairs towards the kitchen to look for a knife and she hurriedly came back with a very big knife. Yuki seemed scared, but decided to trust her. "Honda-san!" Tohru looked at him directly in the eyes. "Just be careful with that knife alright?" "Hai!", she answered happily and started cutting the ropes.   
  
Right after Tohru finished cutting the ropes binding Yuki's hands he was the one to cut the ones on his feet. He then got out of the chair, got rid of the cat ears, and started to struggle with the nightgown. "Umm... Honda-san, can you help me get out of this?" "Sure Yuki-kun!" Tohru easily took the nightgown off Yuki and he then searched for clothes and dressed right in front of her. It wasn't as if she was seeing something new. "Thank you Honda-san! And now..." Yuki stormed out of his room and kicked Kyou's door leaving the neko's room doorless. Kyou was nowhere to be found in his room and there was no sign of the digicam, but the normal cam was there. Yuki checked it and just as he had expected the film had already been removed. "KUSOOOO!" He let the camera drop onto the floor, but he didn't break it, and then came out of Kyou's room and downstairs heading outside.   
  
"Yuki-kun! Where are you going?" "To look for my school bag." "I'll go with you!" "It's only a school bag Honda-san..." "Why is it outside? And... When did you arrive? I didn't even notice!" Yuki sighed. "Minagawa-sempai wanted to walk me home and I couldn't refuse her. She hugged me when we were arriving and I had to hide. The problem is that she took my uniform, but at least she left my schoolbag behind. I tried to ask for help from baka neko. That was my big mistake. He then took me to my room evading you and you know the rest."   
  
After Yuki and Tohru had entered the house they saw Shigure sitting having a smoke. He had finished laughing some time ago. "Shigure! Where is he?" Yuki had an angered tone on his voice. "I don't know Yuki-kun. Is the dog the cat's keeper?" Yuki the rolled his eyes and searched the house with Tohru. Kyou wasn't anywhere to be found. "Maybe he is on the roof Yuki-kun!" And following Tohru's suggestion they checked the roof, but Kyou was not there either. After checking the roof both kids checked even one last place: Yuki's secret base. Everything was in order, but Kyou was not there.   
  
Motoko was in her room staring at Yuki's uniform on her bed. She started thinking out loud as it was her habit to do so. "I wonder where he went. It's true what they say about the Sohmas. They seem to reject hugs. I hope I didn't frighten my prince. But I still wonder how did he disappear leaving his uniform behind! Maybe he knows how to do magic! Anyway, I will have to hand this back tomorrow after a good cleaning and ironing. He will be so pleased. But now..." She grabbed the uniform and smelled it even caressing her face with it. "Ah! Prince Yuki's scent is in it! Oh Yuki! How I love you! You are my everything! You are my everything!"   
  
Tohru woke up early that morning and checked Kyou's doorless room. The bed was intact so it was obvious that Kyou hadn't been there all night. Trying not to worry too much Tohru then headed for the kitchen to make some breakfast wandering if Kyou would at least make an appearance at the table.   
  
The walk to Kaibara High was very silent. Kyou never showed up, not even for breakfast. Yuki wasn't very worried about his uniform because at least he had three, but one less was still bothering him. His anger against Kyou had dissipated a bit to Tohru's relief. It seemed that not encountering the cat had been for the best.   
  
Kyou had gotten to school very early. The school's secretary had been already in the office and so Kyou asked her for the keys to the computer lab. "It's strange to see a student so early here! Need to work on some paper sweetie?" "Sort of", grumbled Kyou. "Here and remember to bring them back or you can give them to the 'tutor' if he arrives. He also comes early to turn on all of the computers." "Thanx." Kyou went to the lab and entered quickly. He turned on one of the computers and connected his digicam to it. The digicam was very precious to him because it had been a gift from his Shishou. Kyou deposited the pictures into the computer and then started copying them to a cd when Kawanami Taka entered the lab. Taka started turning on the computers, scanners, and printers from the lab while looking curiously at Kyou. Kyou felt the eyes on him, but ignored it. Suddenly Kyou was checking some of the pictures and Taka got a glimpse of a pic that had a pretty girl with her mouth opened in an angry expression and that was tied to a chair. He could also read the poster on top of the girl, who was obviusly in her nightgown and had a kitty ears headband adorning her head and beautiful dark grayish-brown hair. "Who's the cutie in the pic?" "None of your business and stay out of this." "My my, so grumpy early in the morning." Taka then had a careful study of the picture: "Wait a minute... That girl looks extremely familiar." At that very moment another student entered to lab: "Hey Taka! I need to print a paper I have to hand in today! It's in this floppy!" Then the student saw the picture in Kyou's monitor. "Hey who's tha... Huh!? Isn't that Yun-Yun?" Kyou winced and looked at the student who had just seen the picture. It was Manabe Kakeru, the annoying school vice-president. "Sh*t!", was the cat's nice answer and he had just finished copying to the cd and so sent the pictures saved into the computer's hard disk to the trash can and immediately emptied it. He then fled from the lab not forgetting his cd nor his cam, and throwing the keys to Taka.   
  
Tohru and Yuki were saying 'hello' to Uo, Hana, Haru, and Momiji when a girl interrupted. "Yuki! Oh Yuki! I was so worried last night!" Hatsuharu raised an eyebrow staring at his rat cousin. "Oh Yuki! I got you your uniform! It's already cleaned and ironed as a prince deserves. And here are your keys." Motoko deposited the uniform and keys on Yuki's hands. The uniform smelled a little bit too flowery making Yuki sneeze. "Achoo! A-achoo!" Motoko then left them feeling a little embarrassed for causing the prince to sneeze like that. Tohru grabbed the uniform when she saw Yuki's nose turning red and she saved it in her own school bag while Yuki put his keys inside his pocket. Yuki felt eyes on him. "So prince! How did one of your uniform's ended in that wacko fan club president's hands?", Arisa asked looking disgusted. "Yuki, what happened?", asked the cow. Momiji then started to hop happily: "Yuki, is she your girlfriend? Is To-ru free then? Yaiiii! Now To-ru can be my girlfriend!" Tohru turned red and Yuki was at a loss for words. That girl had certainly chosen the perfect timing to hand 'that' back. "It's a long story and it's not what you people are thinking and Momiji, no, she is not my girlfriend. She is just an upper class student." "I am sure that Sohma-kun didn't make that girl clean his uniform, at least not on purpose", added Saki making Haru look strangely at her and then at Yuki. Arisa just grinned and Tohru, who knew the truth behind it didn't say a word. Momiji just kept smiling.  
  
Kyou actually showed up for his classes making Tohru feel less worried about him. Yuki stared at him the whole time with menacing glances. Kyou ignored the 'killing glances' knowing that the rat wasn't going to start a fight in school. It would have looked pretty bad for the school president's record to be fighting at school after all. Kyou grinned to himself thinking about that.   
  
After classes and to Yuki's frustration he had to attend a council meeting. Tohru left for work with Momiji and Kyou rapidly headed for Shigure's house. He entered the house in a flash and saw Shigure reading a newspaper. Shigure looked at him mildly interested. "So look who's decided to return? The lost lamb! Or should that be cat Kyou-kun? Okaeri! But you were supposed to say 'tadaima' first!" "Shut up idiotic inu! Call Hatori and then give me the phone." Shigure blinked twice and made a pout. "What is it Kyou-kun? Are you feeling unwell?" He stood up and touched Kyou's forehead making Kyou slap his hand far from his face. "Just call Hatori and then hand me the phone." "But why do you want me to bug Ha-san now?" "CALL HATORI AND THEN GIVE ME THE DAMN PHONE!" "Kyou-kun's scary!" And Shigure ran for the phone and started dialing and then gave the receiver to Kyou. "Yeah Hatori? I need a lift. No, it's not really an emergency, but I need to go to Ito Yokado. Huh? The nearest one is three stations from here Hatori. You cannot possibly expect me to take the train, can you? Uggh! Just let that freakin' bastard die! Huh!? Okay. Right. I'll wait then." 'Click' Shigure looked at Kyou: "I suppose the freakin' bastard is Akito? Oh Kyou-kun, you have to be more respectful." "Respectful my ass! The freak deserves to die! Bah! Making Hatori take care of him." "But in the end he agreed to take you to the store, ne? Ha-san is so nice. What do you have to go to Ito Yokado for anyway? Want me to come too?" "Not even in a thousand years! And it's none of your concern why I'm going there!" Kyou the headed for the front door to wait for the Jyuunishi dragon.   
  
It was a one hour wait. Hatori seemed a little bit disturbed when Kyou told him. Apparently he was waiting for some photos. Hatori had seen the film in his hand and Kyou had gone directly to the picture area. The doctor was wandering why he had agreed to bring Kyou to this store. Now he had to kill some time so he went to the 2nd floor and headed for the bookstore.   
  
Kyou entered the restaurant on the 2nd floor and ordered some curry rice. It was spicy, but he liked it anyway. After some time the hour had ended and he went to get his pictures.   
  
Hatori and Kyou were already heading back and they arrived at Shigure's. Kyou then gave Hatori a small wrapped rectangular package and told him mockingly: "This is for your Akito-sama." Hatori looked at Kyou suspiciously, but accepted the package. "Hey Hatori, it's not poison or anything. Just a gift from the monster for his master." "Riight." Hatori then drove off while Kyou headed for the entrance. He had to hide the pictures and knew exactly where, in Tohru's room.   
  
Motoko was anxious. Tomorrow was going to be Saturday at last and the witch was going out with Masayuki. Still, Minagawa was worried. Would Honda Tohru fall for her distant cousin? She really hoped so. There was only one more problem. Getting the Honda girl out of the prince's house. "This is all so difficult! How will I get rid of her for sure? How? How?" Motoko had forgotten the girls with her. "Kaichou, are you alright?" "It's nothing Mai-san! Just thinking about how we are going to get rid of the witch!" "Oh!"   
  
Yuki came out of the meeting looking as if he was going to burst into flames. Without looking back he ran as fast as he could. 'How could he? And to Manabe for God's sake!!! Manabe asking about my sex assuming that I was a girl! The perverted vice-president even dared to touch my chest looking for breasts! And in front of the rest of the student council! He definitely deserved the punch I gave him. I am going to kill that cat!' Yuki arrived home not caring about his chest hurting so bad. He shouldn't have run all the way to Shigure's. Opening the door the question came without further thinking: "WHERE IS HE???" Shigure tried to tip toe out of the living room and a strong hand grabbed him by the arm. Yuki didn't quite looked like himself. His violet eyes were too fiery. "I don't know where he is Yuki-kun. Honest. Maybe in his room?" Yuki let go of the writer and headed for Kyou's now not doorless room.   
  
Yuki opened the door and saw the cat studying. "HOW COULD YOU?" And Yuki almost jumped on him, but Kyou got to one side. "What are you talking about kuso nezumi. I'm doing my homework." Kyou looked so calmed that it pissed the rat even more. "TO HOW MANY PEOPLE DID YOU SHOW THE PICTURES?" Yuki connected a strong kick on Kyou's left side. "TO NO ONE KUSO NEZUMI! THE IDIOTS THAT SAW ONE PIC DID IT BY ACCIDENT!" Yuki grabbed the cat by the shirt and looked as if he was going to kill him when a voice stopped him: "Yuki-kun! Please don't hurt Kyou-kun!" Tohru was crying in front of the room. She had just returned from work. Yuki loosened his grip and Kyou snorted at him. Yuki quietly left Kyou's room and headed for his closing the door behind him. Tohru gave a sad look to Kyou and then headed for Yuki's room and knocked softly. "Just go and tend to that baka neko!" "Yuki-kun, he is not the one that needs me right now." No reply came and Tohru opened the door and entered closing it behind her.   
  
Yuki was giving his back to Tohru sitting on the floor. He wouldn't look at her. Tohru silently walked towards the boy's figure and sat on his right side not saying a word. After some minutes Yuki looked at her. "Why, Honda-san?" "Because you are hurt Yuki-kun. I don't understand very well why, but I know that you are deeply hurt. What is it that hurts so much?" "I... I'm just making a fool of myself Honda-san, but... What Kyou did to me yesterday, it did hurt. Not physically, but here." Yuki touched his chest and Tohru was understanding a bit. There was something that she knew for sure. What hurt Yuki the most wasn't the 'cat' stuff, although it had been embarrassing; but the 'girl' stuff. Yuki had always suffered because of his feminine looks. He hated it. "Honda-san... Do I look like a girl to you?" His voice had come in a whisper and Tohru smiled looking him in the eyes. "No, Yuki-kun, but you look like the most beautiful boy I've ever met in my entire life."   
  
The rat was certainly startled with Tohru's answer. He was too shocked to react and he was even more shocked to see her face getting closer to his. Her lips were so close that he couldn't focus on them and as if he were in a most beautiful dream he closed his eyes, letting it happen.   
  
***  
  
In the Main House maniacal laughter could be heard throughout the compound. Many servants looked scared. Kagura was with Hatsuharu and Isuzu and they all looked at each other's faces worriedly. Kisa and Hiro had been walking together and fled towards Kisa's house looking afraid. Kureno was in front of his master's chambers afraid to ask if Akito needed him and decided to flee to his room. Hatori had decided to stay in his clinic after handing Kyou's 'gift' to Akito. Momiji was the only one brave enough to look inside Akito's chambers. He saw Akito with a golden picture frame in his hands. His laughter sounded scarier by the minute and tears came from his weakened orbits.   
  
"Akito-san, are you alright?", asked Momiji looking really concerned. Akito stopped laughing abruptly and almost in a flash grabbed Momiji forcefully by the neck. He looked truly angered. "Are you mocking me rabbit? Trying to look concerned for your Master?" Momiji trembled like the scared bunny he was and closing his eyes thought he had just commited the biggest mistake of his life. 


	6. The date

Notes: In Japan the call Winnie the Pooh 'Pooh-san'. Pooh-san is quite popular. About making Tohru take the first move, it was completely on purpose. I know how naiive girls think. Don't ask why because it's embarrassing. Naiive girls are innocent and all, but also brave. They are completely capable of the unexpected and they tend to be spontaneous. That is why I can picture Tohru making the first move spontaneously. It all depends on the situation.  
  
On with the chapter.   
  
6. The date  
  
Saturday came and Tohru got up early to help Yuki in the 'secret base'. They returned home then and Tohru made breakfast. Honda Tohru definitely looked happier than usual and it definitely wasn't because she had a date that evening. Although Kyou was already thinking that. Tohru's brightness had roots in something that had happened last night. That spark was her and Yuki's secret, but the orange haired boy kept fearing the dreaded date and he actually wasn't the only one. Sohma Yuki was between happy and worried. He was happy for what he and Tohru had shared, but somehow the upcoming date was tearing his happiness apart and Tohru didn't seem to be bothered one bit.   
  
The day went by fast. By 4:00 PM Yuki had returned to his garden and Kyou was practicing katas in front of the house. Tohru on her part prepared dinner early and put it on the fridge for Yuki, Kyou, and Shigure. Surely they wanted to eat something made by her and not some take out. She then went upstairs to wash and get dressed. Shigure still didn't know about the date because no one had said a word about it, not even Tohru. When the inu saw her dressed prettily and about to go out he stopped her with the question: "Where are you going Tohru-kun? I thought the shopping was already done!" "Ah Shigure-san! It's just that I..." She turned bright red looking for a way to say it. "I am supposed to meet with this boy who asked me on a date." Shigure looked alarmed: "What!? And Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun didn't do anything to stop you? How dare they? Can they let someone to take our flower away like this?" Tohru was confused about what Shigure was saying. She had no idea what was he talking about. "Well, Shigure-san! Hope to return before 9:00 PM! Take care and dinner is in the fridge!" Shigure looked frustrated, but had no choice but to let her go. "Take care Tohru-kun! And don't do anything strange!"   
  
It was 5:45 PM when Tohru left. Kyou saw her leave with expressions of anger and worry. Just a minute later Yuki returned from his 'secret base' with his gloves in his right hand and asked Kyou with a disgusted expression: "Is she gone baka neko?" "As a matter of fact she is kuso nezumi." Yuki was going to enter the house when Kyou added: "Are you going to follow her?" Yuki looked back at him with a mortified gesture: "Of course I am NOT going to follow her. I trust her." Yuki sounded as believable as he could and entered the house heading then for his room upstairs. He really did wanted to trust Tohru, especially after last night. He had never thought of Tohru having feelings for him like that. Never crossed his mind, but it had definitely made him incredibly happy.   
  
Kyou was debating. He actually wanted to follow Tohru, but how in the world was he going to catch up with that geek's car anyway? So even trying to spy on her was out of the question even though it pissed him like mad accepting so. Suddenly he heard the phone ringing inside and entered thinking about answering, but the dog had won. Not that the cat cared anyway. But he did notice Shigure's face contorting in weird gestures so he decided to at least listen to Shigure's reactions. "And is Momichi alright Ha-san? Oh! With crutches? And a neck holder? (I don't know what word to use for that in English. Gomen.) But how did that happen Ha-san? What led Akito to do such a thing to that kid? WHAT!? You know Yuki will NOT want to go. How can you expect me to tell him with a smile 'Akito wants to see you?' Okay I just added the 'smile' thing for humor. I know you're being serious! Huh!? Why would Akito want to see Kyou too?" Kyou raised an eyebrow when he heard that and noticed Yuki halfway on the stairs listening too and trembling all over. "Kyou-kun played a joke on Akito? Are you sure Ha-san? And doesn't Akito has a sense of humor? Okay, that was stupid of me to ask, I know. Does Tohru-kun have to come too? No? But maybe she'll want to... We'll keep her in your clinic if she goes then. She will probably want to see Momichi. Tomorrow then? Of course they can! It will be Sunday! Okay, bye!" Shigure hung up and noticed the two faces staring at him knowing they expected explanations.   
  
Tohru was in the movies with Masayuki. She had been enjoying the film when she had felt his arm getting around her shoulders. She blushed a little and delicately took his arm off of her. She then looked at him firmly: "After the film I want to seriously talk to you about something." He smiled arrogantly, nodded affirmatively and said: "We can talk at the restaurant then."  
  
It was 9:00 PM when the couple entered the restaurant. They sat down and placed their orders. "So then, what did you want to talk about Tohru?" "Well Masayuki...kun, the truth is that well, how can I put this? This date has been very nice and I'm truly grateful, but... I already love someone. "It's that 'prince' isn't it? What the hell does he have that guys like me don't? It pisses me off. All the girls drooling for that skinny idiot when there are so many great guys in school! Tell me Tohru, what do I lack? Am I too plain? Am I ugly? Did I needed to be school president to get you to like me?" Tohru definitely hadn't expected Masayuki's outburst, but she tried to calm him: "No, no, no! It's nothing like that Masayuki-kun! You are very handsome and you have great qualities! Everyone has great qualities that they tend to overlook! It's like we are all onigiris with umeboshis on our backs. We can see the umeboshi in everyone else, but we cannot see the one we have because it's on our back! You see..." He interrupted her: "Just shut up. I don't have to listen to that bullsh*t." Tohru felt her eyes stinging. She had never thought she would meet someone even more temperamental Than Kyou. At least Kyou listened to her and wasn't that cruel.  
  
They ate silently and then got out of the restaurant. Kago Masayuki led Honda Tohru to his car and opened the door for her. She entered quietly and put on the seatbelt. He did the same and started the car not looking at her. He had to do something. So far this wasn't going as smooth as he wanted. This Honda girl was stupid and difficult. He sighed and started to drive. "So where do you live?" "You can leave me in front of the forest that's close to the Main Park." "Forest!?" Masayuki asked in disbelief staring at her, but he knew the place she was talking about.   
  
Masayuki stopped the car about 100 meters from the forest. No soul could be seen nearby. He decided not to get close to the park because there would be homeless men there and he didn't want anyone around. "Why do we stop here Masayuki-kun? It's a little bit further!" "I know. It's just that you know how a date has to end, do you?" Tohru seemed disoriented. "Umm... I've never been on a REAL date before so I don't know what you are talking about!" He laughed. "You are either extremely naiive or incredibly stupid." "Eh? What do you mean?" Tohru was feeling nervous not knowing why when Masayuki took off his seatbelt and kissed her forcefully on her lips. Tohru managed to take off her own seatbelt and tried to push him to no avail. His hands were on her on the top of her dress. It was a dress that had buttons that went from upward to downward on the front. He started to try unbottoning breaking 5 of the buttons instead exposing her upper underwear. Tohru was truly scared, but she bravely grabbed her purse and freeing her right arm hit him as hard as she could. The brown haired girl then opened the lock and quickly opened the door, but the boy was still strongly crushing her to her seat. He then grabbed her by the hair and she took off one of her shoes and started hitting him hard making him push her outside. She fell hard on her side, but this was her opportunity to escape. Tohru with the purse in one hand and the shoe in the other ran as fast as she could feeling steps running behind her. The steps then stopped and she kept running and running. She could see the forest, but she also felt carlights behind her. Masayuki had obviously returned into the car. Was he going to run her over?   
  
The clock read 10:15 PM and Shigure sighed for what had to be the hundredth time. Pouting he said: "She told me she expected to be here before 9:00 PM!" Kyou had been walking from side to side while Yuki was seated on the sofa with his face buried in his hands moving his legs in a nervous fashion. He couldn't take it anymore. Where was she anyway?   
  
Tohru kept running watching the forest coming closer and closer. She had had an advantage when Masayuki had started to run behind her, but in the car he was certainly going to gain on her fast! Then the car was suddenly going at her pace to her side and the left window opened. So the boy wasn't going to run her over after all, but that gave her no relief. "Hey Honda! Stop this nonsense! It was a joke alright?" He was laughing nervously. "You're not scared of me are you?" Tohru ignored his words. She just kept running. "Answer me you b*tch!" Tohru then entered the forest drowning Masayuki's words behind her.   
  
The door opened and a scared to death Tohru fell on her stomach. The three desperate males ran to her aid. Yuki, straightening her in a sitting position could see she was trembling and turning a little red he could see her white bra showing. It had a flower design. He innocently tried to cover it by joining the two opened parts of her shirtdress, but noticed that several buttons were missing. His eyes opened wide in disbelief and Kyou's gaze darkened. Shigure took a few steps back with a hurt face. He couldn't manage to see Tohru in that state. Yuki exploded: "WHAT DID HE DO TO YOU? I'LL KILL THE BASTARD!" Kyou then replied to the rat: "NO YOU WON'T! I'LL BE THE ONE TO KILL THAT GUY!" "YOU STAY OUT OF THIS BAKA NEKO!" "WHAT MAKES HER YOUR CONCERN ONLY KUSO NEZUMI! ARE YOU CLAIMING HER FOR YOURSELF OR SOMETHING?" "AS A MATTER OF FACT I AM!" Yuki then realized what he had just said and noticed the change in the orange headed boy's expression. Kyou silently went up the stairs not looking back. Shigure locked himself in his office and so the rat and the onigiri were left alone.   
  
"Tohru, what did he do to you? Did he, did he...?" Yuki's voice was trembling too much and Tohru seemed in shadows and completely mute. Yuki helped her to stand and walked her slowly up the stairs and into her room. In the light of her room he studied her. She was very dirty so she had probably fallen on her way through the forest. She was barefooted so she must have lost her shoes in the process too. There were scratches in her skin that showed themselves through her tattered sleeves. There were several tears in her dress plus the lost buttons. Yuki carefully sat her on a chair. She looked like a ragged porcelain doll and she wouldn't speak. 'How could he do this to her?', thought Yuki, but he was sure there had been no rape. Something told him that most of the cuts and tears came from Tohru's run through the forest. In his study of the girl's frame he had concluded that the jerk had only broken her upper buttons. Tohru was more damaged psychologically speaking than physically speaking for that matter.   
  
"Tohru, you have to get cleansed." That's when he noticed. What had happened to his typical 'Honda-san'? Yes, he was using her first name and he didn't even know when that started, but she had no reaction to it. She seemed gone. It was as if she wasn't even in that room. Yuki swallowed hard. He had only one option. He had to clean her himself. The dark gray haired boy searched for a clean towel, clean underwear, and a nightgown, and escorted Tohru to the bathroom locking the door behind him. After starting the water in the bathtub he nervously finished the unbuttoning of her dress expecting her to scream at him, but nothing came out. The rat then carefully took the dress off of her and leaving her for a minute checked the water's temperature and waited for the bathtub to fill. Checking the temperature again he saw that it was okay now and he added some bathing salt and bubble liquid, but he knew he couldn't submerge her dirty body in the water just like that. He had to shower her first and that meant he could get wet so he got out of the bathroom and searched for pj's and his own towel. When he returned he noticed that she hadn't moved an inch.   
  
Yuki hesitated. He was already naked in front of the girl, but he just couldn't take her underwear off. With trembling hands he managed trying not to look, but that was completely impossible so he stopped kidding himself. He then finished removing the girl's underwear and started the shower. Carefully he covered her in soap and used a sponge to delicately scrub her. The prince was getting more courage as time passed and soon he had lost all his fears and even washed her hair with her shampoo and conditioner. He concentrated hard on what he was doing and soon finished and turned off the shower. The prince then helped her into the bathtub and then entered himself. He suddenly noticed some droplets of water falling on his hands and they didn't come from his dripping hair nor face. They were coming from his eyes. "Tohru, please talk to me. Please!" Yuki then carefully took her head and placed it on his shoulder while caressing her soaking wet hair. He couldn't stop crying for his girl, his Tohru.   
  
Sunday morning came and Tohru woke up. She felt peaceful and noticed a body beside her on her bed. The boy had one of her bear plushies in his arms. It was her favorite Pooh-san, one that her dear friend Hana-chan had given to her some months ago. The boy looked so beautiful beside her, but she couldn't remember why he was there. The last thing Tohru could remember was running for her life from a crazy upper class student. She was remembering through flashes, but she didn't remember when she got home or any of what had happened next. Scanning her room she saw her blow dryer. Had she used it recently? She must have because it was still plugged. She just couldn't remember. The onigiri stretched her arms and got up noticing something and thinking to herself: 'Why am I using a bra under my nightgown? I never sleep with a bra on. So strange.' She then looked again at the sleeping prince on her bed with her Pooh-san. He looked so lovely that she could take a picture, but no no no. That wasn't a good idea after what Kyou had done to him. Either way and as horrible as it sounded she had to wake him. She needed some answers to clarify her amnesia.   
  
"Yuki-kun! Yuki-kun! Wake up!" He opened his eyes a little bit and then closed them again. "Yuki-kun! Please wake up!" This time he sat on the bed losing his grip on the bear and yawned. "Tohru, what time is it?" "It's already 8:15 AM. I cannot believe I slept so late. I wonder why Shigure-san and Kyou-kun did not wake me to make them breakfast!" Yuki knew the answer to that question. They didn't dare wake her, not after last night. "And why are you in my bed?", she asked smiling. "I... I couldn't leave you by yourself. You were... completely out of it. Do you remember anything about last night? I mean, after you came home?" "I don't even remember getting home Yuki-kun. I only remember 'that student' trying to-to..." "it's okay, Tohru." "Yuki-kun! You are calling me Tohru!" He smiled at her. "I know."   
  
***  
  
"You-did-what?" Motoko was angry talking on the phone. "How could you do that? What do you mean you couldn't help it? She must have ran crying to Yuki's arms you idiot! What do you plan you say? Oh! That would be perfect! I want to see her face on Monday then. Ahahahahahahahahaha!!!" After hanging up Motoko looked happy, but at the same time worried about how things would come out eventually. She was still far from getting her prince to herself and somehow she had a bad feeling that her dream was getting even more unreachable.   
  
Throughout the morning Tohru seemed as if nothing had happened. Shigure, Kyou, and Yuki were happy about it, but there was one small problem. At 3:00 PM they had to be in the Main House and none of them had dared told the 'flower'. Shigure then decided it was time to do so while they were having lunch. "Tohru-kun!" "Yes Shigure-san?" "I almost forgot to tell you that we are going to the Main House. We have to be there at 3:00 PM. Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun have been summoned by Akito." Tohru stopped eating. "Why Shigure-san? What's wrong?" She then looked at both boys and their faces were dark. "I am not sure Tohru-kun." Yuki then gave a menacing glance to Kyou, but decided it was stupid to tell Tohru that it was the neko's fault in the first place. Learning that detail would only hurt her and she didn't need that. Kyou just ignored the nezumi's glance. "Do I have to go Shigure-san?" "Not really. Your presence has not been requested, but Momichi is hurt and you might want to see him." "What happened to Momiji-kun Shigure-san?" Tohru looked alarmed. "He is okay. He is in Ha-san's clinic and he will probably enjoy your company while his cousins see Akito." "Alright. I want to see how he is..." "Then it's decided. Tohru-kun will come with us." 


	7. Bad reputation

Notes: *In the anime as far as I remember they never say if Hatori showed the picture with Yuki dressed like a girl and Kyou to Akito, but in the manga he never did.   
  
*Thank you NCANIME99! Waiii! I knew I was updating too fast! Kidding! Guess being a housewife has its advantages, but maybe I'll slow down a bit because I've been neglecting a one yr. old that's craving for lots of attention.   
  
Enjen, you actually gave me an idea. LOL  
  
7. Bad Reputation  
  
Shigure, Kyou, Yuki, and Tohru were about to leave the house when Yuki stopped Shigure and spoke to him in private. "What did you do that for? You were the one that in a certain way forced to her to want to come. What was your intention! Are you crazy?" Shigure looked at Yuki with a serious expression for a change. "I just thought it might have been crazier to leave her here all alone after what she went through. She will be safe in the clinic and in that way she won't be left to think about what happened to her last night." Yuki was kind of surprised with the dog. What the writer said actually made sense so they left it at that.   
  
In the Main House Hatori immediately escorted Tohru to his clinic while Shigure went with the two boys to see Akito. Tohru saw Momiji and gasped. He was bedridden with his neck being kept as stiff as possible in a neck brace, had both hands with band aids, scratches on his face, a swollen eye, stitches on his lower lip, and an obviously broken leg. She ran towards him with tears in her eyes. "Oh Momiji-kun! How!? When!? How did this happen!?" Momiji smiled at her with great effort and noticed she had small scratches on her face and he could see bruises on her legs thanks to her short skirt. The half German boy also noticed scratches and bruises on her hands and arms. "First tell me what happened to you To-ru." "I fell! And I cut myself by running through the forest!" Hatsuharu was also there with Momiji and looked at Tohru curiously thinking: 'Why would she have ran through the forest?' Momiji smiled again and answered: "I fell too!" The ox looked at him incredulously: "Is that what you are planning to tell the students tomorrow at school? No one will buy that." Tohru then smiled a little and touching delicately the rabbit's face told him in a very soft voice: "I'm not that dense Momiji-kun." The blonde kept on smiling at Tohru.  
  
Kyou, Shigure, and Yuki were kneeling on the floor waiting for Akito to say something. He kept staring at the two small birds on his fingers and decided to let them go, but still wasn't looking at them. "Shigure, why are you here? I don't remember requesting your presence." Akito's voice sounded very soft and almost enchanting. "I'm here as their guardian Akito. They've been my responsibility for a very long time now and if they have somehow disrespected you I take full responsibility for..." "Silence!" Yuki and Kyou both looked incredulously at Shigure. What was that of him being their guardian and responsible for their acts?   
  
Akito finally turned to them and pointed towards Kyou: "You, Monster! Come to me." Kyou silently obeyed and approached the Master. Akito then took the golden frame in his hand. "What is the meaning of this?" Kyou decided to lie, but he didn't know why: "Just something I made in computer class. I... took a picture of Yuki and altered it with Photoshop." Akito smirked. "You lie to me Monster? After doing this you lie to me? Are you by any chance protecting the rat?" Kyou turned red. "I would never protect that rat." "I'm... curious... How were you able to get Yuki to play along for this?" "It was against his will." "Ohohoho! So the first think you told me was definitely a lie!" Yuki closed his eyes thinking: 'Baka neko! How could you fall for that. You are really an idiot.' Kyou noticed his stupidity too late and in seconds he felt the pain of being forcefully grabbed by his hair. "How do you dare lie to me like that? After all I've done for you! If you're living with the dog is because of my mercy and compassion you ungrateful and worthless thing!" Akito then with incredible strength sent the cat flying towards a wall.   
  
Hatsuharu had just finished telling Tohru what had really happened to Momiji. After being abused physically by Akito, Hatori had intervened right on time all thanks to Haru. The black and white haired boy had been the one who had fled to get the doctor. Tohru was scared and Hatsuharu noticed her getting paler and paler. "Hey, are you okay?" "It's just that right now Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun are with Akito-san and I was thinking that maybe it has to do with what led Akito-san to hurt Momiji-kun!" Haru stood up alarmed and ran out of the clinic, Momiji frowned sadly, and Tohru was standing to go after Haru, but Momiji's hand grabbed her. "To-ru, please don't. Don't go there. They don't want you to. You're safe here. You won't make a difference. Believe me when I say so." "But Yuki-kun and Kyou-kun! I have to intervene!" "And get yourself injured? Then everything will be in vain To-ru! Everything!" Momiji was now crying and Tohru didn't have the heart to leave him in the end.  
  
Akito had grabbed Kyou again by his hair and was banging his head against the wall. Yuki and Shigure ran to stop him. "It's enough Akito! That's enough!", the rat pleaded for the cat. The black haired young man then changed victims and grabbed Yuki by the neck. "You worthless rat! You are an embarrassment to the Jyuunishi! TO ME! Letting the cat do THAT to you! *Dressed like a woman! YOU'VE EMBARRASSED ME! YOU... YOU... I WOULD EVEN BELIEVE IT IF SOMEONE TOLD ME YOU ARE THAT MONSTER'S 'WOMAN!'" Yuki spat on Akito's face after such insult and Shigure freaked out because of what Yuki had just done. Akito started pounding Yuki on the chest and stomach like mad screaming: "HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU UNGRATEFUL BRAT! YOU'LL PAY! YOU'LL PAY! YOU'LL PAY!" Shigure was trying in vain to stop him. The Master's strength was too great.   
  
"Momiji-kun! I cannot take this! What if he hurts them?" "They are more capable of resisting Akito's wrath than you are To-ru." Tohru felt weak. She knew Momiji was right. What could she do to stop Akito?   
  
Hatsuharu and Hatori entered the room and grabbed Akito along with Shigure. Kyou rapidly grabbed Yuki and helped him run out of the room. "WHY DO YOU STOP ME!? I HAVEN'T FINISHED WITH THEM! I HAVEN'T FINISHED!" Akito's screams could be heard by Kyou and Yuki. Yuki coughed some blood and Kyou saw it. "I think Hatori should have a look at you." "You're one to talk! There's blood running through your face." Kyou touched his face and it was true. The blood was coming from somewhere on his head.   
  
Hatori arrived at the clinic with the three teens. Hatsuharu wouldn't let go of Yuki who was still having ragged breaths and coughing blood. Kyou looked at the ox and rat disgusted.   
  
After a while Kyou had gotten several stitches on his head and had a bandage surrounding it. He had also had his skull X-rayed and to Hatori's surprise there was no major damage. Yuki was getting chest ex-rayed after spending some time with a nebulizer. He then came out of the X-Ray room while Hatori checked the images. Yuki stared at Kyou and asked: "Why did you help me get out of that room?" The cat had a dead expression: "Because you intervened when Akito was banging my head against the wall as if it was a soccer ball or something. Now I don't owe you anything." Yuki was satisfied with that answer. "Yuki, you will not exert yourself. You have two broken ribs as I suspected and mild internal bleeding. I will have to bandage you around your torso." Yuki nodded affirmatively to what Hatori had just said and let Haru take his shirt off. Tohru had been very silent all this time and Momiji touched her on her shoulder reassuringly. "Believe me when I say To-ru, that it could have been worse, much worse." Tohru then looked at Yuki getting bandaged and Kyou with the bandage around his head. Kyou had been lucky. Hatori didn't need to shave too much hair for the stitches. Hatori then finished bandaging Yuki and looked at Kyou with a small smile: "That head of yours is like a rock." And they all started laughing nervously. Tohru then interrupted the nervous laughter: "What will you guys say tomorrow at school?" Kyou, Yuki, and Momiji looked at each others faces and replied in unison: "We fell." Haru then rolled his eyes and Tohru giggled.   
  
After a while Shigure entered the clinic smiling to himself and spoke to Hatori: "Akito took his medicine and is resting now." Hatori with a cold voice replied: "Good." "Well kids, we're going home." Hatsuharu was a bit startled at the writer's joyful mood: "What are you so happy about sensei?" "Shigure kept his happy expression: "Oh Ha-kun! It's just that I explained to Akito that it had been a joke by Kyou-kun and he told me that he knew that all along. He actually had a good laugh about it. He never expected the cat to amuse him like that." Kyou and Yuki stared at Shigure with disbelief written all over their faces. Kyou was the one to react verbally: "That wacko sure has a sick sense of humor if this is his way of showing it." "Oh no, Kyou-kun! He actually told me that for that joke and for amusing him you both deserved your punishments! He is satisfied now and I don't think he'll bother you two for quite some time IF you two don't play strange jokes on him again." "Don't count me in that Shigure. I wasn't the one to give ridiculous pictures to Akito as presents!", Yuki was a little bit angry at being included as the cat's accomplice. "Will you say that to Akito Yuki-kun?" "Of course not!" "Then leave it as he thinks it was." Yuki wasn't at all satisfied with that aspect, but he had no choice. Shigure was right.   
  
Back at the house Yuki and Kyou were in a very bad mood. Tohru had convinced them of being both in the same room and Yuki had won the lottery. Two futons had been opened By Tohru in Yuki's room. She had even put a towel underneath them so that they wouldn't become separated. The two boys didn't face each other and soon Tohru entered with their dinners. "Kyou-kun! For you I brought a salmon dish with a glass of milk, and some miso soup." "Now that's great food!", said Kyou with a grin and grabbed his tray. "Yuki-kun! For you I brought shrimps au gratin, leek soup, and some hot tea." "Thank you, Tohru", said Yuki with a cute smile. Kyou then choked with some rice: "Since-since when? Since when did you stop the formality with her?" He looked at Yuki startled. "None of your business baka neko." Then they kept eating in silence and Tohru left smiling. They both had to drink pain killers and antibiotics to avoid infections. Hatori was worried about Yuki having mild internal bleeding. That meant that the rat wasn't supposed to get up except if he had to go to the loo. Kyou had a little bit more freedom in that aspect, but for now he was supposed to rest too.   
  
That night Motoko was driving herself insane thinking. She waited anxiously for the next day, but something bothered her. She was afraid things might go wrong in the end, but she still had a plan B and it certainly included breaking into the prince's house again.   
  
Yuki was dreaming. It was unusual for him to dream, but here he was having a dream. He had graduated from school and he was fighting Kyou, but Kyou was too quick and suddenly the image of Kyou changed and the rat was fighting Kazuma, the shihan himself. The boy was definitely going to lose against his shihan. Suddenly he noticed that the whole school was watching the fight. It was the school's grounds alright and the closest people were Akito with two girls at his sides. The girls were Uotani Arisa and Hanajima Saki. Then suddenly Saki was dreamily looking at Kazuma and said: "He is so attractive!" Then the dream drastically changed. The scenery was now the bathroom on THAT night. Yuki was enveloping the girl's body with Kanebo peachy soap and he was enjoying it! The prince was feeling excitement in a certain part of his body and he kept caressing the body in front of him with the soap. Then he saw the girl licking her lips and approaching his own lips. 'No! Tohru is not like that!', he suddenly thought and woke up screaming and getting into a sitting position: "I'M NOT A PERVERT!" "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU YELLING FOR KUSO NEZUMI! YOU SCARED THE SH*T OUT OF ME!"" Yuki remembered that the cat had been sleeping on the futon right next to him. "It's nothing." And Yuki lied on his back wincing in pain. The abrupt way in which he had woken had strained his hurt torso. "Nightmare?" "Yeah..." "Was I in it?" "For some seconds, yeah, but then you became shihan." "You're nuts rat, but I thought I heard you say the word 'pervert'." Yuki was now blushing. "The dream changed to something else." "That something else didn't include you naked with shihan I hope." "Of course not baka neko!" Then Kyou fell asleep and Yuki tried to do the same, but flashes of a naked Tohru were driving him insane.   
  
When the trio arrived at school the next morning everyone was staring at them. Same thing had happened to Momiji when he had arrived with Haru walking with crutches and his neck in a brace. The blonde boy's face looked awful, but between the murmurs about what had happened to the Sohmas something was strange. Many people stared at Tohru! Even when she wasn't with the Sohmas! The blonde girl noticed it: "Oi Tohru! What's with the stares! Everyone is staring at you today! Does it have anything to do with the weirdly injured Sohmas?" "I have no idea Uo-chan!" "Hmm... It seems that there is a lie about our Tohru-chan running from mouth to mouth. I can feel it." "Are you sure Saki?" "The waves don't lie Arisa."   
  
Yuki knew he could pass unnoticed because his bandages were covered by his uniform, but not Momiji and Kyou. Some people surrounded them asking and they had said that they had fought in the weekend. At least that lie was easier to buy than the one about falling, and people had no doubt that in a fight between those two the carrot top could easily win. That could explain why the half German boy took the worst of it. What the dark gray haired boy couldn't explain was the looks Tohru seemed to be receiving. Something was definitely wrong and soon he received the answer to it. "Hey Yun-Yun! Is it true what they say about Honda Tohru?" "What are they saying Manabe?" "They say that she went all the way with Kago Masayuki! He says that she is not what she seems and that she is super great in pleasuring guys and hottie! Hey! There are many guys now who want to take turns with her! I'm curious for that matter." "WHAT!?" Yuki ran to look for Tohru leaving a starled Kakeru.   
  
The prince had to stop running. The pain on his chest was killing him, but at least he had found her with Saki and Arisa. "Tohru! Are you alright? Has anyone approached you?" He then registered the scary girls with which Tohru was. No one had approached her because of the Yankee and the Psychic so he then addressed them: "Hanajima-san, Uotani-san, please don't leave her by herself for even a second." The girls nodded affirmatively and at that moment the bell rang.   
  
By lunchtime Tohru's name was in every student's mouth and Kyou was furious. How could they do this to her? Who was behind it? 'Probably that geek', he thought. There was only someone who could steal the center of attention from Tohru and Kyou knew exactly what to do even if that person would hate him even more for the rest of his wretched life. This situation called for a desperate measure. He then found Kakeru: "Oi! Kakeru!" "Hi Kyo-Kyo! What do you want?" "I will give you a picture of your Yun-Yun if you help me with something that needs lots of people in it. You're good with people so you are the only one I can count on." Manabe was instantly interested: "I'm listening." And then they hurriedly walked towards the computer lab.   
  
Motoko and the rest of Prince Yuki Fan Club were celebrating their victory. Now Yuki would definitely avoid the Honda witch thanks to her reputation. "That was great Kaichou! Ahahahahaha!" Minami was leaping out of joy. "She might even change schools! Hope that the Yankee and Psychic will leave Kaibara too!" Mio was in clouds. "She deserves even more", added Mai. "Now girls! It will not stay at this! We will do much much more until she commits suicide! Mwahahahahahaha!!!" Motoko had never been happier.   
  
Tohru was crying, but Uo and Hana were not leaving her alone. They already knew why the prince had told them to be with Tohru. "Tohru, just ignore them! We know what they say is bullsh*t!" Arisa had been trying to calm Tohru, but nothing helped. The brown haired girl kept crying non-stop. "It's okay Tohru, we are here with you always", said Saki in her soft voice.   
  
After the afternoon classes Tohru had been completely forgotten. All of the students were now staring incredulously at the posters covering the walls on all of the school aisles. Yuki came out of his last class and gaped in horror. There he was seeing himself all over and over and over and over. He was close not to an asthma attack, but to a heart attack. His school bag dropped to the floor and he fell on his knees. He could even listen to some students speaking. "I knew he was hiding something!" "So Sohma Yuki is really a girl?" "I think he is a hermaphrodite." "Maybe he is bisexual?" Then a girl spoke directly to him: "Oh Yuki-kun! I love cats too!" The rat wished to be a dead rat at that moment.   
  
Kyou came out of the classroom and saw Yuki kneeling on the floor. The prince looked him in the eyes trying to read mockery in those crimson eyes, but what he read was compassion and he hated it. Tohru was now beside him: "Yuki-kun, let's just go home. I... I won't go to work today. I can't." She was crying as she had been all day.   
  
Kyou had just arrived outside when a strong push stopped him. Hatsuharu had a killer expression on his face: "I'm going to cut your balls and hang them from the achool's ceiling cat." "I was expecting you to turn Black cow, but you won't solve anything through it." Then they both started to fight.   
  
In the Prince Yuki Fan Club classroom four girls were crying. "I didn't know Yuki was a girl!", wailed Mio. Minami then asked: "Does that make us Lesbians?" Mai cried harder: "Oh no! My mother will kill me if she finds out I'm a Lesbian!" Motoko was crying too, but she was angry: "Stop the stupid chatting! We are not Lesbians and Prince Yuki is NOT a girl!" Mio stared at ker Kaichou: "How do you know that Kaichou?" "Class art!", exclaimed Motoko and then coughed. Mai was confused: "What do you mean Kaichou?" "In class art we studied the human body through art. Male shoulders are different from women's. Yuki is a male." Minami looked happy: "You are so intelligent Kaichou!" Minagawa then seemed determined: "I will find out who humiliated our prince like this and I will make that person PAY!" Mio then exclaimed happily: "At least we know he likes cats! We can give him a kitten as a present!" Motoko looked disturbed: "Mio-san, he has a pet rat, remember? Somehow if he is a rat lover I cannot picture him as a cat lover too." Mai then praised Minagawa: "You sure have brains Kaichou!" "Of course I do! Now, to protect our prince from this outrage!"   
  
Hatsuharu was already beaten and had returned to being White Haru. He was panting outside and Kyou looked frustrated. Yuki was already outside the school building too with Tohru, the Pyschic, and the Yankee. He stared at Kyou anger appearing in his purple eyes. "Why did you do it?" "I didn't really wanted to do it. Remember that day when Momiji got too much attention?" Kyou was being careful with his words because there were two girls in the scene that knew nothing about the curse. "I remember", said Yuki. "You covered the situation even when it was against your will." "Meaning?" "Meaning that you just did the same thing today for Tohru with the only difference being that I was the one to pull it out using you." Kyou had expected what happened next. He found himself flying against a tree. 


	8. Return into the house

8. Return into the house  
  
Tohru was feeling better at home drinking some tea. The day had been the worst day of her life. Momiji had told her not to worry about work because he was going to excuse her with his dad. He couldn't do the work for her as he had done other times due to his condition. Tohru kept sipping her tea thinking. She had remembered and she was going to tell Yuki that she had. She carefully stood up and walked towards the kitchen.   
  
Yuki was on his bed sprawled on his stomach with his face buried on his pillow. He hadn't bothered to remove his uniform. His dark hair looked wild as if it had static. He felt the door to his room open, but didn't bother to lift his face. He knew that he looked like a sick person. He had thrown up several times now and his stomach was still delicate. The pain on his chest wouldn't leave him alone either. Shigure had been worried and called Hatori, but Hatori told him that throwing up was normal with the rat's injuries. Still, he told Shigure to watch for traces of blood in Yuki's vomit. Shigure had been disgusted. That sure sounded nasty so he had just told the boy to tell him if something like that happened. Yuki had just ignored him.   
  
The only girl in the house closed the door behind her. She noticed that the futons had disappeared from Yuki's room and that he had returned to his bed. There was no way he was going to share his room with the cat now and Tohru knew it. Just when she had thought that they were getting along suddenly their hate had gotten worse and worse.   
  
Tohru approached the ill looking boy. She gently touched his hair and his face lifted. He looked at her with tired eyes. "I feel so tired Tohru." He was talking in a very soft voice almost in a whisper. "I know Yuki-kun. I know. I wanted to tell you something." Yuki lazily sat on his own bed letting the beautiful girl sit right next to him. "What is it that you want to tell me?" "I... I remember." Yuki had a bit of difficulty registering what she was telling him, but then he knew and he looked at her feeling a little bit scared. "I wanted to thank you, Yuki-kun. For what you did... for me." Yuki was surprised. He had somehow expected a slap or for her to be crying as if humiliated, but none of that happened. She was smiling at him. "I... wanted... I wanted for that same thing to happen again." Yuki was completely taken off guard by that. He didn't know what to say, but he knew something for sure. He wanted it to happen again. He wanted to have a nice bath together with her all over again.   
  
That night they both entered the bathroom quietly. It was almost midnight. It was nice being together like that. Tohru had even brought a rubber ducky bringing a smile to the prince's face. They played in the water and threw bubbles and foam at each other. It was relaxing and had made them forget all about the day's horrible events. But suddenly when Tohru's hand was going to throw some more foam Yuki's hands had stopped her. He looked at her enchanting blue-green eyes as if hypnotized by them, and he kissed her. The girl felt herself drowning in that kiss, falling into a trap that could cost her dearly. Caresses and kisses were now covering her entirely and she was giving herself completely. She felt as if she was going to burst into flames, but she snapped out of it. When she snapped she was breathing loudly and saw her hands on the boy's bandageless chest. She had removed them from him promising that she would put new bandages around his torso after the bath. The boy was smiling at her with understanding, but she still felt awful and lowered her gaze: "Gomen Yuki-kun! I can't. I just can't. Not until I get married. It's... my dream." The prince's hands were placed on her cheeks. "I know Tohru, and I am grateful for that because it's just like you to have a dream like that. I love you and I can wait." Tohru smiled with tears in her eyes and forgetting about the curse threw her arms around him. For a second he enjoyed the closeness of her naked body against his, but *POOF!*   
  
The girl started to scream. Yuki had disappeared in the water and she couldn't find him because of the foam. "He's going to drown and it's all my fault! Yuki-kun! Yuki-kun! Where are you?" The rodent's head popped out of the water and she quickly grabbed the rat. "Oh thank God!" "I'm alright Tohru" She hugged the rodent to her chest and the rodent seemed to be turning red. Then the bathroom door opened.   
  
Tohru quickly covered herself with foam, but the animal being crushed against her chest was still obvious. Shigure's eyes opened wide: "Yuki!?" The rodent now wanted to drown for sure. Kyou's voice was soft, but sounded scary: "Drown him." Tohru looked at Kyou looking frightened. "Drown him now." "Now now Kyou-kun, that is too cruel." "And what we have in front of us is SICK you PERVERTED dog!" "Well now, sorry to interrupt. Let's go Kyou-kun." Shigure dragged the cat out of the bathroom against Kyou's will.   
  
After a while Tohru was in her room with Yuki bandaging his torso. She was giggling because of what had happened, but he didn't seem too happy. He shuddered at the thought of Shigure telling Ayame what he had seen. After Tohru finished he put on his pijama's shirt and left for his room not before kissing her softly one last time and saying 'good night'.  
  
Motoko was going crazy. Even past midnight there were still lights on in that house. It was 1:30AM when the whole house had finally been inmersed into complete darkness. Minagawa Motoko made a phone call from her cell phone, waited ten minutes more, and then charged. Her plan that day had been ruined in the end. No one seemed to cared if Honda Tohru was a slut or not. All of the attention had been changed to the girly prince ridiculously tied to a chair wearing a girl's nightgown and kitty ears headband. Plus the writing on top of him! It had been definitely an outrage. But there was something else. Something that no one knew except her. The nightgown she had recognized alright. It had been the nightgown that the witch had been wearing the night she had broken into the Sohma house for the first time.   
  
The Prince Yuki Fan Club president arrived upstairs. It had been much easier than the first time. She madly hungered for the prince, more than ever. Everything was ready. Her cell phone was also ready to push the send button for a certain signal, but there was still something she had to do before entering the prince's room. She had been studying that house for a long time now and knew to whom each bedroom belonged so she quietly entered Honda Tohru's room and tiptoed towards the witch's bed. She placed a cell phone right next to the girl and left.   
  
Motoko then entered the prince's room easily. This plan had to work. It just had to. She kissed the sleeping beauty just as she had done before. She also caressed him and then started to work. Yes, in her investigations she had learned about Yuki's weakness. He had a very heavy sleeping pattern. It was perfect. She spoke in a whisper to his ear: "Yuki-kun, it's me." Yuki in his sleep touched her face and she opened his shirt and gasped. He had bandages! Motoko decided to ignore that and continued with her 'work'.   
  
Yuki was dreaming about Tohru. It was as if she were in his room. He was being carried away by dreams of her and somehow in his dream he could see his princess undressing him. That was not like Tohru, but it was a dream after all.   
  
Motoko undressed too after completely undressing the prince. She 'entertained' herself watching the boy's body for a while and then pressed Send on her cell phone for the e-mail to go. Afterwards she covered herself right next to the prince after checking if the pet rat was there. It wasn't.   
  
The cell phone next to Tohru started to ring and she grabbed it. "What is this cell phone doing here? But oh no! It will wake the others!" So she quickly answered it. A familiar voice spoke to her: "Hello Tohru, have you been to prince Yuki's room yet? There's a surprise for you." 'Click' The voice had been Masayuki's, but Tohru didn't have time to dwell on it. She ran to Yuki's room and turned on the light. She then screamed.   
  
The scream was something Yuki hadn't expected to hear in his dream and he completely woke up. Tohru was staring at him screaming like mad and next to him was a naked girl. "A NAKED GIRL!?" Yuki was horrified and was even more horrified to see where the girl's hand was under his blanket after discovering that he was also naked.   
  
Motoko played as if she had been asleep. "What's wrong darling?" Yuki looked at her incredulously. "Who are you calling darling?" He was getting angrier and pushed her hands away from his body and got up covering himself with the blanket. She covered herself with some sheets and he yelled at her: "ARE YOU BLOODY MAD? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE AGAIN?" Shigure's voice could be heard: "This is sure a compromising situation." Tohru was crying and started to yell too: "YOU LIED TO ME! YOU SAID YOU COULD WAIT! IF YOU WERE SO DESPERATE I COULD HAVE GIVEN MYSELF TO YOU! I HATE YOU!" Tohru then ran out of the room crying. Kyou decided to play his part too: "Now you've done it kuso nezumi! I knew from the first time that girl came here that she was your lover. I suppose you've been together every single night, haven't you? You really are more perverted than Shigure." Shigure looked at Kyou with a hurt expression: "Hey! That wasn't nice at all!" But Kyou ignored him and left for Tohru's room to see how she was.   
  
Yuki was in shock. 'This isn't happening. This isn't happening.' The thought kept swirling in his head. Shigure left the embarrassing scene and Motoko dressed calmly. Her work was done. Yuki grabbed her hand. "You will tell them the truth!" Motoko smiled slyly: "No I won't" And freeing her hand from his grasp she rapidly left.  
  
Yuki put on his pj's as fast as he could and was about to leave his room when he heard the cat's voice talking to the writer. "Yes Shigure, I already searched the whole house and there is no trace of her. I even checked the roof for God's sake!" "So you think she is outside Kyou-kun? It's 2 in the morning!" Yuki didn't have to hear more. He grabbed a coat and put it on and grabbed a second coat before running down the stairs. To his half relief Minagawa had already disappeared. He now hated that girl for real.   
  
The rat concentrated outside. At this time of night it was impossible to find his love just like that plus he was injured, so he called for help. Being cursed by the spirit of the rat had its advantages. Many rats lived in the forest and they were definitely handy now. He felt them and they communicated with him. Yuki opened his eyes. He already knew where to find her.   
  
He was lucky that she hadn't gotten too far because he couldn't run much in his state. Yuki jogged for a while and found the place. There was Tohru sitting in front of a tree crying. He cautelously approached her not wanting to alarm her. Being with her white nighgown and her hair covering her face like that she looked like a ghost like the ones they showed on TV. Putting that stupid thought aside he lowered himself in front of her. "Tohru... That girl was lying. I never touched her." "I know." Tohru's soft voice had somehow alarmed him. "How do you... How do you know?" "I saw the time on the clock." Yuki quickly understood what Tohru was talking about. Too little time had passed since they had gone to sleep and the events had occured. "Then why... Why Tohru?" "I didn't know when I entered you room Yuki-kun. I learned the truth when I saw the clock in my room after... That's when I ran away. I was too embarrassed to face you after how I had treated you." Tohru still wouldn't face him. She had been speaking with a low gaze. Yuki then sat next to her. "We have to return home you know... And... I brought you a coat." He carefully placed the coat around her shoulders. Tohru then looked at his purple orbs with tears streaming from her eyes. "I'm sorry Yuki-kun." He then embraced her without their bodies touching.  
  
Back at home Yuki was with Tohru in her room. He playfully looked at her. "Umm Tohru, what you said about if I was desperate, did you mean it?" Tohru blushed terribly and made an angry expression. "Of course not Yuki-kun!" "Well, then, my room seems to be full of 'dangers' so I'll stay here with you anyway." "That's alright Yuki-kun."   
  
That morning Tohru was too sleepy to listen to classes. Yuki seemed a little better, but the truth was that he wasn't registering much either. Kyou knew very well what was wrong with them, but he wouldn't dare say a word. The orange haired boy had been satisfied that morning when he saw that all of the posters had disappeared from the walls. Manabe Kakeru had kept his word on the matter and just as he had managed for the posters to be there yesterday now they were all gone. Still, Yuki was in everyone's mouth, but when hadn't he?   
  
The prince had been looking for the Minagawa girl, but he hadn't seen her. He had even asked if she had been absent, but they told him that she was in school. The truth was that she was hiding. When in the morning she had seen the Honda girl walking happily between the carrot top and the gray haired boy she had wanted to die. How was it that they were happy? They made out that fast? But the worst had been what she had seen then. The prince and the witch, holding hands were happily talking with the Psychic and the Yankee. Then they had kissed. It was more like a lip touch, but she had seen it. The Psychic had hugged the witch and the Yankee was hitting the prince hard on his back with a grin. No, this couldn't be happening.   
  
Minagawa Motoko had locked herself in a toilet booth since then. That's why Yuki hadn't been able to locate her. She had been crying and she wouldn't get out. How could she have failed so miserably? All that she had done, all that she had planned. All had failed. She couldn't face the rest of the club now. They probably had heard already of the prince's girlfriend and it certainly wasn't her. The witch had won in the end. Looking at her hands she cried for her sins. She had dared placed those hands on the sacred angel's body and for what? She had made a fool of herself. She then heard someone calling her name. She thought it was one of the girls. Maybe Minami, maybe Mio, or maybe Mai, but no. This voice was different and delicate. It couldn't be!   
  
Motoko came out of the booth to see with her own eyes the person that was looking for her. There was pity in those blue green orbs. "Why are you looking for me? You won! Don't you understand that you've won? Have you come here to make fun of my misery?" "No Minagawa-san. I came to see how you were. Yuki-kun and I have been worried about you." "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HATE ME! YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO FEEL SYMPATHY FOR ME!" Tohru still kept her voice down: "Minagawa-san, please, you are hurting yourself like this. You really are." Honda Tohru tried to hug the girl in front of her, but the girl rejected her surprisingly in a polite manner. "No please, don't. I'll be fine. I'll be fine. Just go to him. He'll probably think I'm trying to kill you or something and the last thing he needs is entering the girl's room. Would be even worse for his girly reputation." Tohru smiled at this, bowed, and left. Motoko couldn't picture how her humiliation could be even worse. 


	9. Criminal measures don't matter

*Notes: 1. Morning sickness has started. It's horrible. 2. I think only one chapter to got and this fic will be finished. Thanks for all your reviews. I appreciate it. Enjoy.  
  
*Fruits Basket belongs to Takaya Natsuki.   
  
9. Criminal measures don't matter  
  
Motoko decided to calm a bit. The latest events had been too much to handle. Somehow her determination in getting what she prized the most had ended doing exactly the opposite. She had gotten farther and farther from the object of her deepest desire leading that so yearned object to another one's open arms. Her pillow drank her tears and comforted her during that entire night. No, she wasn't giving up. Graduation was still a few months ahead, but she needed some time even when time itself was against her. Yes. She was giving them two months of peace and maybe, just maybe, their love would crumble on its own. In the meantime she was going to find a way, yes, a way of making the prince fall in love with her.   
  
***TWO MONTHS LATER***  
  
Tohru was happily having lunch with Yuki, Hana-chan, and Uo-chan. She kept giggling while putting bits of pork in Yuki's mouth with her chopsticks. Arisa had to comment: "Seeing you do that is somehow disgusting." But Honda giggled even more. Hanajima kept staring at the two lovebirds thinking: 'That is something I really want to protect.' Kyou then approached the foursome and was somehow an eccho for Arisa: "Oi! That's disgusting and you are drawing too much attention." Tohru turned a nice shade of crimson noticing the truth behind the orange haired boy's words. Students were staring at them. "Oi Orange Top, at least she was having fun and now you've ruined it!" "You're one to talk Yankee!" Then Saki's voice interrupted: "When will I be able to see that father of yours again around here? He is a hunk!" Yuki choked on his food remembering a bit about his dream, even though he knew that Saki's little crush with Kazuma had been known for a long time now. The problem was that Tohru knew she couldn't help her boyfriend because of the curse and she seemed paralized with fear. "Hey! Help him! He is turning blue!", exclaimed Arisa and stood up to get behind the boy in order to help him. Kyou saw everything as if in slow motion and knew that he couldn't let Uotani embrace the rat. Without thinking much he pushed the woman away from helping his purple eyed cousin and strongly grabbed Yuki from behind. With one, two times of pressing firmly the trapped food came out flying from the prince's mouth.   
  
Hatsuharu had quickly gotten to the scene. He had noticed from afar that something was wrong with his first love and stared incredulously at Kyou. "You... You helped him!" Kyou gave him an arrogant glare. "I had no choice", and with that Kyou was about to leave the scene to hide his embarrassment. Yuki was still coughing a bit and with a lowered gaze muttered: "Thanks." It was obvious that the rat was pretty embarrassed too about what had just happened. "It was nothing." The cat gave the other embarrassed boy a last glance before leaving the scene definitely, but the most horrifying experience of his life stopped him in his tracks. In seconds the last thing he saw before his eyes was a blonde boy running towards him and the face of that boy getting closer to his. Innocent chocolate flavored warmth enveloped his lips and just like that the boy was in front of him and faced the other boys behind him. "Yaii! I did it! Now let's get back to the Truth or Dare game!" The half German boy ran with the others.   
  
Haru had a mildly surprised expression and he said as if meditating: "A person who looked just like Momiji kissed Kyou. A mystery." Yuki frowned: "That WAS Momiji, Haru." Kyou looked at the shocked faces staring at him. That was definitely not happening to him and for once he decided that he was going to KILL the rabbit for sure. "He... He... He kissed me." Haru gazed upwards: "At least he is in a girl's uniform if you see it on the bright side." Kyou was then babbling: "Break... neck... stew... rabbit..." Yuki tried to change the topic: "Should Momiji be running like that after just recently abandoning his crutches?"   
  
***  
  
The big plan was ready and Minagawa Motoko was extremely nervous. The day was also perfect. Classes were ending early because there was going to be a faculty meeting, but it wasn't even going to be in school. She had hired some male students for help. The nastiest ones that would enjoy breaking rules of course. Her third cousin was included.   
  
Classes ended and an unknown student gave Yuki a note and he read it out loud: "There will be an emergency council meeting. Please come to the council room. It is of extreme importance". Yuki seemed wondering and he even told it to Tohru, her friends, and Kyou who were already right beside him. "That's strange. I've left the secretary in charge of calling for meetings, but she always signs the notes. This one is not signed at all." Kyou looked a bit worried, but he wouldn't accept it. He was still mad about the 'kiss' thing, but a little calmed. "Maybe she didn't have the time to sign it nezumi." "I'm going to check it out then", Yuki was about to leave when Haru stopped him. "Check out what?" "Something about an emergency council meeting." Hatsuharu frowned: "You know that the faculty announcement said that there weren't supposed to be any students in the school's grounds by an hour after classes ended. As you can see most of the students have already disappeared even when school ended just now." Yuki smiled at the worried cow: "That's why I have to find out what this is about. Wait for me here." The prince jogged down the corridor and disappeared from sight, but Kyou wasn't satisfied. "I'll go with him." Hatsuharu was about to protest, but Kyou ran very fast after what he said. The Psychic and the Yankee then said 'good bye' to Tohru leaving her alone with the black and white haired boy. Momiji wasn't there with them. He was waiting for them outside school.   
  
Kyou catched up with Yuki and saw him walking toward the council room. He was about to follow when he bumped into someone. *POOF* Kyou didn't think twice and in seconds disappeared dragging the uniform with his mouth. "Sh*t! Perfect timing for this!" But from his hiding place he saw shadows approaching the room Yuki had just entered. The orange cat decided to spy. That form gave him an advantage and he saw a girl talking to another one: "I don't know. I know that I bumped into someone." Other girl: "Oh just forget about that." Through the slightly opened door Kyou could see some girls talking to Yuki. One of them was going to show him something, but that something was some weird smoke. The cat then saw the rat collapse and two males catch him. 'What the hell?', he thought and ran back to get his clothes and look for somewhere safe to transform back.   
  
Hatsuharu and Tohru were desperate. A good fifteen minutes had passed and Haru seemed very worried: "I'll go look for them." "No, wait! Don't leave me here alone!" "Okay then come." Both kids walked to the council room, but it was empty. "Yuki can disappear. A mystery." "Haru-kun! There's no one here! Where is he?" She looked at Haru with pleading eyes. The cow then saw a door inside the room with a small notebook that belonged to Yuki right in front of it on the floor. "Maybe we can check what's behind that door." He picked up the notebook and they both saw inside after opening the door and hands pushed them in and locked them. Tohru screamed and Haru said: "Hey!" The two girls that pushed them ran out of the room and one of them said to the other: "Mission accomplished." And they giggled.   
  
Kyou had to wait what he felt like hours to transform back into human form. He had seen the group taking an unconscious Yuki somewhere else, but he couldn't do anything and didn't dare follow them due to a risk in transforming back doing so. He had hidden in a classroom. When he had at last transformed he quickly put on his uniform and left the classroom to find where they had taken the cousin he hated the most. The rat deserved that and much more, but what if those crazy students found out about the curse? It had been a relief that the ones carrying the rat cursed boy were males.   
  
Momiji was getting impatient. He had the memo, just like everyone else, that said that the school grounds were supposed to be empty an hour after classes ended. Very few students were left talking, but already leaving and Momiji couldn't believe Haru could have left him. Tohru didn't have work that day and so he was waiting for Haru to go together to tha Main House. The rabbit was already thinking that there was a great possibility of his misdirected cousing having gotten lost inside the school building. Twenty minutes had already passed so he strolled the school grounds and then entered the building.   
  
In the Prince Yuki Fan Club room Yuki was placed on a table. The room was dark and two girls were dressed in black robes. The students that had helped in capturing the prince had either left or some were still around making sure no one would get to that room. Minagawa Motoko was reading some ritual from a witchcraft book. It was obviously a ritual for a spell that would make Yuki fall in love with the first person he saw after waking. Motoko was chanting the magic words while revolving some pink potion. Pink smoke was filling the air.   
  
Kyou was running and checking every single classroom or at least the ones that were unlocked. If they were locked he checked inside by looking through the squared windows on those doors. Suddenly a girl was in front of him and he recognized her as one of the wackos that stalked the rat. "Where do you have him and what are you going to do with him?". The girl giggled in a crazy manner and told him: "I won't say a word." Kyou then grabbed her by the collar of her uniform with one of his hands. "TALK!" Suddenly a second girl took his bracelet which was on his free hand. "What a cute bracelet!" And she ran with it as a way to catch his attention and make him follow her. The girl that fled with the bracelet was Kinoshita Minami while the girl being strained by the orange haired boy was Koto Mai. Mai suddenly saw the boy changing. Her face started to contort in many different expressions and she screamed. Kyou was able to see what was it to be really scared almost to death on that girl's face and he let her go. The girl ran for her life screaming and feeling sick because of the stench.   
  
Tohru was dizzy. They had been locked in some sort of store room and it smelled like paint. Hatsuharu, who was still fighting with the door, noticed something was wrong with the girl even when it was dark in there and hard to notice, so without thinking no more he kicked the door hard and breaking it. He dragged Tohru outside and noticed that she wasn't breathing. "Just what I needed", he muttered to himself. "Tohru, wake up! Wake up! Girl! Breathe!" The cow sighed and started trying to revive her by breathing into her mouth. He did it once, twice, and on his third attempt Tohru opened her eyes with his mouth still on hers. Haru quickly straightened himself and she coughed a little bit, then stared at him. He blurted: "Don't ask. I will just tell you something. I wouldn't bear to see Yuki suffering if something happened to you. Now let's get out of here." He helped her stand and they both ran out of the council room.   
  
Momiji was running through an aisle when he encountered the mononoke. Stopping in his tracks he looked terrified and took a few steps back asking: "K-K-K-K-K-Ky-Ky-Kyou?" The mononoke spoke in his strange voice: "Rabbit I won't kill you right now because of what you did to me today. Run and call Hatori. It's an emergency. A girl saw me in this form and it's possible that they already know about Yuki." The blonde kid was startled swallowing all that information and obediently ran to look for the nearest pay phone.   
  
"Haru-kun! Why are we running and checking classrooms?" "We were locked in that storeroom for some reason and I'm pretty sure it has to do with Yuki. I'm worried about him." "Hai!" The two kept doing what Kyou had been doing earlier.   
  
Motoko had finished the spell and poured some of the liquid into a cup. She then approached the unconscious Yuki and put some of the liquid into his mouth. Suddenly Yamagishi Mio asked a question: "Kaichou, you said that if he wakes up he will fall for the first person he sees, right? That means that if he sees you he will fall for you. So, what about me, Minami, and Mai?" "Don't ask stupid questions Mio-san", Motoko answered a bit angered. "I'm sorry Kaichou." Suddenly Mai entered with a terrified expression on her face: "Mo-Mo-Mo-MONSTER!" Motoko was now even angrier: "How do you dare come in here barging like that and saying stupid things!?" Then the frightened girl fainted.  
  
Kyou didn't care anymore if someone else saw him. He had to get his bracelet back no matter what. He followed the trail of the girl that had left with the bracelet and he was feeling lucky that he hadn't encountered anyone else. So far he had only been found by Momiji and that had been a relief.   
  
Minami thought she had lost Kyou for sure so she decided to go to the Fan Club room. She entered to see how the girls were doing and saw Mai on the floor. "What happened to her?", Minami asked. "She just fainted! We have no idea why!", answered Mio.  
  
Momiji had already called Hatori. The doctor had sounded truly worried. At first he had been incredulous until he heard the part about Momiji having actually encountered Kyou in mononoke form. Hatori knew then that this was no joke. The boy sounded truly frightened.   
  
Hatsuharu and Tohru were still looking when Haru suddenly remembered something: "I once entered this room what was full of Yuki stuff. Maybe he's been taken there. The problem is that I entered that room one day that I got lost here in school." Honda Tohru then thought for a minute and leapt joyfully. "Haru-kun! I think I know where that room is! It must be the room designated for clubs! Come on!" She then grabbed him by the hand and ran.   
  
Yuki seemed to be waking up. The three girls started to push each other to see which one would win the lottery. Poor Mai couldn't participate because she was still sprawled on the floor and of course the other three didn't care one bit. Suddenly the room started to stink. "What is that foul smell?", asked Minami. "It wasn't me!", shrieked Mio. The three girls turned and looked at the 'thing' staring at them from the room's entrance. They started to walk back until they were against the wall with nowhere to run. No screams came out of their mouths. They were still unbelieving about what was entering the room. The monster looked at Minami: "I WANT MY BRACELET BACK." Both Motoko and Mio looked at Minami and Motoko asked: "You have something that belongs to that thing?" But Minami was trembling with fear.  
  
Suddenly the boy that was lying on the table woke up completely and saw the mononoke. As if in a trance he got down from the table and started to approach monster Kyou. The monster talked to him calmly: "I'm glad that you are okay and nothing about you has been discovered." That's when Kyou noticed the weird way in which Yuki was looking at him and the manner in which he was approaching him. "STAY BACK KUSO NEZUMI! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Yuki then smiled lovingly: "You are so beautiful. You are the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I love you and I don't want to be separated from you never in my life." 


	10. The end of the nightmare

*As far as I know Haru and Momiji have never seen Kyou in mononoke form, but I assumed that they could recognize it if they saw it. That's why I made Momiji ask if it was really Kyou when he encountered him in the last chapter.   
  
-Thank you for reading my fic. Ureshii!   
  
10. The end of the nightmare  
  
Hatsuharu and Tohru arrived and stopped in front of the room designated for clubs. Haru looked amused at the mononoke's back. "Monsters do exist, a mystery." Tohru was alarmed and grabbed Haru's arm strongly. "Hatsuharu-kun! That's Kyou-kun! But why? Why is he in that form?" *"So that's his other form. Interesting. It stinks." "Kyou-kun! Kyou-kun! Where's the bracelet?", Tohru was almost under hysterics. Kyou heard her, but he kept taking steps back for some reason Haru and Tohru couldn't understand. They also stepped back and in seconds Kyou was completely outside the room yelling at someone: "DID THEY HIT YOU IN THE HEAD OR SOMETHING KUSO NEZUMI!?" Haru and Tohru saw Yuki also coming out of the room and talking back to the creature: "I love you and I want to be with you for the rest of my life." But Yuki's face was contorting as if he was trying to dominate himself and he couldn't. "STAY BACK! DON'T COME NEAR ME NEZUMI! I MIGHT HURT YOU IN THIS FORM!" "I will stand any pain if I can just embrace you and kiss you. What the hell am I saying? SOMEONE, STOP ME!" The last thing Yuki said was obviously a plead. The mononoke knew there was something wrong with his cousin, but he couldn't figure what. Then Yuki embraced the monster and was about to kiss it. (If that's actually possible...)  
  
Hatori arrived running with Momiji and three more people behind them. One of the people behind them managed to pass them and stared at the mononoke. It was a strange sight to see the rat embracing the monster and the monster trying to keep its arms away from the crazy boy to avoid injuring him. "Kyou... kun?", asked Kagura and stepped back frightened. She had seen Hatori leaving in a hurry and had made him take her with him when she heard about Kyou in mononoke form.   
  
Yuki managed to place a kiss on the mononoke's muzzle and exactly at that time there was a flash from a camera. Yuki immediately looked to see where the flash came from and he saw his oniisan Ayame. "Oniisan? What IS HE doing here? But who cares? I'm with my loved one now." The prince suddenly pulled back from the mononoke and fell on his knees grabbing his head and screaming: "WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME? SOMEONE PLEASE STOP ME! I CANNOT CONTROL MYSELF! HELP!" He was then standing again to hug the mononoke again, trying to pull himself back together, but at the same time his body dragging him towards the monster. Shigure, who was the third person besides Ayame and Kagura seemed to figure something: "He's under the effects of a love potion, but an incomplete spell." "Don't worry Yuki! You're oniisan is here to help you!" Ayame then grabbed Yuki strongly not letting him approach Kyou. Hatori then called Tohru: "Tohru-kun, give this to Yuki." Hatori then gave her a small bottle with something. She grabbed it and approached the boy who was trying to free himself from his older brother's arms. "Now, now little brother. That thing stinks, it's filthy, and it's completely unappropriate. If it was Kyon-kichi in human form then I could approve your relationship." Kyou looked angered at Ayame: "HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT, SNAKE!"   
  
Tohru then looked at Yuki and he stopped struggling looking at her. "Tohru, it's you I... No, I love the beautiful creature. Arrggghhh!" Tohru then opened the small bottle and made him drink a bit. In seconds Yuki started to throw up everything that was in his stomach and Ayame didn't have to think twice about releasing him. "Ewww! That's disgusting! Torii-san, what did you give him?" "It's a vomiting inducer. One for some types of poison actually. I thought Yuki could have been poisoned for some reason", answered the doctor in a cold tone. Tohru stayed by the rat's side patting his back while he got everything out. Afterwards he looked pale, but at least the effects of the potion were wearing off. "I cannot believe I kissed it", he suddenly blurted. Tohru looked at him sympathetically. "It's okay Yuki-kun. Everything is alright now." The mononoke was still in shock with thoughts about what had just happened spinning in his head. The only reason why he did not push Yuki back was because he had been extremely afraid of hurting his cousin. Still, he couldn't understand that. He actually would have given anything in the past to hurt Yuki pretty bad, but now it was different and it wasn't for the rat. Hell it wasn't! It was for Tohru, all for her, even though now she would never be his. The rat had won, yet again.  
  
While things were going on Momiji had entered the room and had seen an unconscious girl on the floor and three more girls leaning against the back wall. He noticed that one of them had Kyou's bracelet. "Can I have that back please?" Minami gave it to him without a word and Momiji happily came outside and gave it to Kyou, who by some miracle made it pass through his huge hand. Momiji seemed too happy and Kyou, already in human form and shirtless, asked: "What are you so happy about annoying brat?" "Because I helped Kyou. Now Kyou will not kill me, ne, ne?" Then someone hugged the orange haired boy from behind: "Kyou-kuuuuuuuuuuun! You're back to normal and you're safe now!" "NO THANKS TO YOU I'M SAVED, KAGURA!"   
  
Ayame approached Kyou grinning: "Kyon-kichi! Why didn't you stop my little brother from hugging and kissing you? You wanted him to do that, didn't you? You naughty boy! Shame on you! It's just that me and my brother are so irresistible, right? Our charms always melt men and women indiscriminately." "STOP TALKING BULLSH*T! I COULDN'T STOP HIM BECAUSE HE COULD HAVE ENDED INJURED AND TOHRU WOULD HAVE CRIED!" Tohru stared at the orange haired boy first shocked, but then smiling. "Thank you Kyou-kun." Kagura then was hugging her only love again. "Kyou-kuuun! Now we can be together forever and ever!" "Someone please shoot me." "Kyou-kuuun! How dare you say something like that?" And she started pummeling him mercilessly as usual.   
  
Hatori decided to enter the room ignoring the commotion that was going on outside of it. He saw a girl on the floor waking up and three more that were looking white as ghosts. Somehow he was relieved. He had expected it to be a more numerous number of people and getting ready he asked them the question: "So, what exactly did you girls see?" Mai had already woken completely and she was pointing outside of the room without even looking: "Monster... Outside... Stench..." Mio then asked: "Is it really gone?" Minami was still looking pale: "I-I didn't know. I only took his bracelet to make him follow me. How can someone change sh-sh-shape?" Motoko seemed angered: "It was probably someone in disguise trying to scare us. Probably sent by the Honda demon." Hatori sighed and started to do his work starting with Mai.   
  
Shigure escorted the kids and Ayame outside. Hatori had warned him that non of them should be outside the room when he finished erasing the girls' memories about what had happened. Hatsuharu was watching Shigure with interest. "By the way sensei, why are you here? I can understand Kagura and even Ayame, but not you." "Well Ha-kun, of course I wanted to help too!" Yuki then spoke looking annoyed: "I can already picture a very pissed editor screaming outside our house and maybe even trying to cut her veins." Shigure just laughed while Ayame's own high pitched laugh could be heard annoying everyone. He kept babbling his idiocy as usual.   
  
A boy approached the group that was already outside. He already knew that his cousin's plans hadn't worked at all. Kyou and Yuki immediately recognized him: "YOU!" Of course they had seen him every day at school, but they couldn't fight at school, at least in school hours. Kago Masayuki quickly realized his mistake and turned. He ran for his life, but the truth is that neither Kyou or Yuki followed. Kyou muttered: "Coward." Yuki snorted.   
  
Hatori arrived at the scene and motioned them to walk. He made Kagura, Haru, Momiji, and Ayame get into his car and then addressed Shigure and the ones that lived in Shigure's house with a very serious expression: "I couldn't erase all of the events because other students that knew about those girls doing something today might ask them how it went. They think that their plan failed and they have no memory about Kyou's transformation or mononoke form." Hatori then spoke to Yuki: "Why did those girls give you a love potion? Wait, don't answer that. I've decided that I don't want to know. Just one thing, it's obvious that there's something going on between you and Tohru-kun. I can assure you that I won't say anything to Akito, and Shigure and Ayame have also agreed to this, but please be careful and think well about it." Yuki looked at Hatori startled and saw him get into his car and leave. Yuki sighed and smiled at the group with him: "Let's just go home."   
  
Minagawa Motoko was at her home tangling her fingers between strands of her long hair. Even her last and extreme measure hadn't worked. It was too much and so she decided that the club was no longer going to annoy the prince. Yes, annoy. She had to face that ugly word. It had been truly hard to accept, but it was necessary. Perhaps in some near future she was going to meet her prince in other circumstances and things were going to be different. Or perhaps she was going to meet another prince. Looking at her favorite picture of Yuki she smiled and told herself: "But I promise that I will never forget you." Motoko then kissed the picture and got to bed with the picture beside her.   
  
Ayame shrieked. "This is horrible!" He picked up the phone and called Hatori. "Tori, Tori! The picture I took of Kyon-kichi in monster form! It's horrible! It has my little brother kissing that dreadful thing! I only wanted to have a picture of the creature, not this!" "Ayame, you call me for that? Listen, I know you just wanted a picture of Kyou in mononoke form for your strange photo collections, but it was your fault in the first place to take the picture exactly at THAT moment." "Tori, Tori! (No, he didn't turn into Kira Yamato's robotic bird) This is an emergency! Kyon-kichi must transform again so I can get the picture I want!" There was silence in the other line. "Tori-san?" "Ayame, I cannot think of a way in which you can convince Kyou of that. I can see you try. Now, please, I'm busy. You can call Shigure now." 'Click' "This is a disaster! I know! I will ask Akito! He'll surely find a way of convincing Kyon-kichi!"  
  
A while later Ayame was driving Akito nuts. "And you see Akito! I really want that picture! Not this dreadful one!" Akito was curious. "Ayame, can I see the dreadful picture?" "Of course Akito, here it is!" Ayame gave the picture to Akito and kept talking: "But it's horrible! That picture is humiliating! It's something that I cannot stand! My dear brother kissing that monster!" Akito started to laugh, laugh, and laugh maniacally. "Akito? Akito, now you are making fun of me? It's not funny! It's not funny at all!" Akito started to yell at the top of his lungs, standing at his door after a long laugh. "HATORIIIIIII! HATORIIIII! GET THIS ANNOYING SNAKE OUT OF MY CHAMBERS!!!"   
  
Hatori came as fast as he could: "Ayame, you are making Akito uncomfortable. Please wait for me in my office." Ayame obediently walked away. "What happened Akito?" Akito showed the picture to Hatori. "THIS HAPPENED HATORI! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS! THEY'VE DONE IT AGAIN! THOSE TWO! THEY ARE MOCKING ME!" "I can explain that one Akito." Akito seemed interested. "Explain then Hatori." Hatori decided to try explaining the picture leaving Tohru and Yuki's relationship to one side in the story.   
  
Yuki, Tohru, and Kyou were watching TV when the phone rang and Shigure answered. When they heard Shigure ask: "What happened Ha-san?", they all ignored the TV and looked towards the man on the phone. "Aya did what? Oh come on, Ha-san, Aya cannot have possibly been THAT stupid. You will tell me now that it's a joke and laugh. Ha-san? No, I wasn't making fun of... Akito wants to see them again? No? Well, that's a relief. So Akito still believes there's something going on between Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun? Well, at least that means that he has no suspicions on our Tohru-kun whatsoever... Okay, bye bye." Shigure noticed the eyes on him. "You expect me to say something, right? Don't worry, you don't have to see Akito because Aya showed him the picture of mononoke Kyou and Yuki kissing." Kyou and Yuki at the same time: "AYAME WHAT!?"   
  
  
  
***  
  
Months passed and Motoko finally graduated. Her determination and feats in trying to get the prince were soon forgotten. She wasn't even a memory and she had been substituted. The new Prince Yuki Fan Club president was Kinoshita Minami. Minami was looking at her reflection in her mirror with an arrogant expression on her face. "Minagawa Motoko was weak and stupid. That's why she couldn't do anything right. But I, Kinoshita Minami, I am way different. I will reach my goal. Honda Tohru, ha! That girl will disappear. Getting rid of her will be SO EASY. Motoko just didn't have enough brains. Poor thing, and now she is out of the picture. Minami then walked to the bathroom were her bath was ready and stepped in. Relaxing in her bath she kept talking to herself: "My plans will not fail. They are flawless. First thing I'll do is 'bang', shoot the b*tch. (Actually getting a gun in Japan is almost impossible.) Then, I will comfort the prince because of his loss and seduce him." Kinoshita licked her lips. "I'll seduce him in my fertile days of course. Day 14. I will get pregnant, duh! I will tell him with tears in my eyes. He will marry me then of course and I will be rich and protected for the rest of my life. Yes. That's how it HAS to be. Mwahahahahahahaha! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!   
  
-The End- 


End file.
